On April 26th,  North York General Hospital (NYGH) formally launched the largest fundraising campaign in its history. This is the most ambitious comprehensive campaign to be undertaken by a Canadian community hospital. The $150 million fundraising initiative will support facility upgrades, new technologies and equipment, research and education, as well as emerging priorities.

Two Canadian families well-known to the Hospital for their long-standing philanthropic leadership and generosity - Charlotte and Lewis Steinberg and Gulshan and Pyarali G. Nanji - have helped launch the fundraising campaign with monumental contributions.

"The $150 million Campaign for North York General Hospital is an important milestone in our history and supports our efforts to provide exceptional health care to our diverse communities," said Dr. Tim Rutledge, President and CEO of NYGH. "Above all, our patients come first in everything we do and we are extremely grateful to the Steinberg and Nanji families for their extraordinary legacy of support. Their gifts will help deliver the highest quality of care to our patients, in modern facilities and with state-of-the-art equipment."

The Steinbergs' landmark $12 million Campaign contribution is believed to be the largest gift by individual donors to a community hospital in Canadian history. Their gift will support the redevelopment of the Charlotte & Lewis Steinberg Emergency, the establishment of the Steinberg Family Acute Care Unit, and the purchase of a new CT scanner. The Hospital is naming the prominent South Tower, facing Highway 401, as the Steinberg Family Tower in their honour. The Steinbergs also made a previous Campaign gift to purchase three state-of-the-art digital mammography machines, establishing the Karen, Heather and Lynn Steinberg Breast Services.

The Nanjis' most recent gift will be used to purchase a new CT scanner, bringing the Hospital even closer to fulfilling some of its highest priority needs. In recognition of their ongoing generosity, NYGH has announced the naming of the Gulshan & Pyarali G. Nanji Ambulatory Care Centre.

The funds raised through the Campaign will be distributed to four key priorities:

• Improving Facilities $27 million
• Technology and Equipment $40 million
• Research and Education $22 million
• Emerging Priorities & The Vision Fund $61 million
• Total Campaign Goal $150 million

North York General Hospital is one of the country's busiest community hospitals. In 2010-2011, NYGH treated 28,830 inpatients and 218,701 outpatients, and the Emergency Department received 113,583 visits. The Hospital also serves one of Canada's most diverse communities and socioeconomic areas and has the country's highest elderly patient population.

"The Campaign represents a pivotal moment in our history," said Terry Pursell, President and CEO of North York General Hospital Foundation. "As our community continues to grow, there is an urgent need to invest in our Hospital, provide the resources to give every patient the best care today, and drive the health innovations of tomorrow."

In March 2012, NYGH received Accreditation with Exemplary Standing, the highest designation from Accreditation Canada. NYGH met 100 per cent of over 1800 requirements and standards used by surveyors to evaluate our hospital. This is a very rare achievement for any hospital or health service provider in Canada.

Data released earlier this month by the Canadian Institute for Health Information showed that NYGH performed very well compared to other large community peers in Ontario. Overall the Hospital was above the national average on 15 out of 21 indicators.

Additional information about the Campaign can be found at www.nyghfoundation.ca/our-campaign.

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