UHN’S PETER MUNK CARDIAC CENTRE RECEIVES $5M DONATION TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN NEW TOP CARDIOVASCULAR TALENT

TORONTO, June 5, 2024 /CNW/ – UHN Foundation announced today a gift of $5M from the Rosenbaum family in support of UHN’s Peter Munk Cardiac Centre. The donation from Harry Rosenbaum, co-founder of Great Gulf Homes, together with his wife Malka and their children, will establish the Malka and Harry Rosenbaum Cardiovascular Research and Clinical Advancement Program, which will enable UHN to add new global talent to its roster of world-renowned experts.

Longtime supporters to UHN, this most recent gift from the Rosenbaum family comes after experiencing firsthand the exceptional care and expertise at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, located at Toronto General Hospital, when Malka Rosenbaum underwent complex heart surgery. The surgery was performed by world-renowned cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Tirone David, and the family credits the entire care team to her recovery.

“The Peter Munk Cardiac Centre at Toronto General Hospital has assembled the most dedicated and committed professional team, comprising nurses, support workers and aftercare providers that are integral to the entire process,” says Shael Rosenbaum, on behalf of his parents, Malka and Harry Rosenbaum and his sisters, Shayna Appleby and Renee Kaufman, and their families. “My family is forever grateful for all the individuals who are part of this essential institution. Our hospitals are a key component in what makes Toronto stand out amongst the greatest cities. We look forward to this beginning, and a long-lasting partnership and friendship with University Health Network.”

The Peter Munk Cardiac Centre is one of the leading cardiovascular hubs in the country, with a team of more than 150 world-renowned specialists, surgeons and scientists treating and investigating some of the rarest and most complex cases of heart and vascular disease in the world. Whereas most Canadian centres categorize 10% of their cardiovascular surgeries as “complex,” at UHN, that number is 40% – meaning that the Centre cares for patients from across the country because of the surgical expertise only it holds.

The gift from the Rosenbaum family will enable the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre to recruit top clinicians and scientists to develop new procedures, treatments and therapies for cardiovascular disease. According to Statistics Canada, heart disease is the second-leading cause of death in the country after cancer, and with cases of heart disease on the rise, this is a timely investment that will ensure that the Centre can continue to provide the best and most advanced care for the patients it serves.

“Our vision is to be the best heart centre in the world, and you can’t be that without having the best people,” says Dr. Barry Rubin, Medical Director of the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre. “Thanks to the Rosenbaum family, we can begin our search to bring leading cardiovascular talent to UHN. With this gift, we will be able to save more lives of those affected by heart failure, and continue to be a worldwide leader in the field.”

“UHN has a culture of innovation and visionary thinking that attracts the brightest minds in medicine today,” adds Julie Quenneville, CEO of UHN Foundation. “It is thanks to the generosity of our donors, and gifts like this one from the Rosenbaum family, that Canada’s #1 hospital is able to offer those bright minds a home to better understand disease, find new treatments, and ultimately, change the status quo of health care.”

UHN Foundation is one of two fundraising arms of University Health Network (UHN), supporting Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto Rehab and The Michener Institute of Education. No one ever changed the world on their own: donor support is critical to upholding the excellence in patient care that UHN is known for, and changing the status quo of healthcare – helping recruit and train the brightest medical minds from around the world, develop new treatments for disease, and advance bold medical research. www.uhnfoundation.ca

The Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, established through the generous support of The Peter and Melanie Munk Charitable Foundation, is the premier cardiac centre in Canada, with more than 163,000 patient visits annually. Patients receive innovative and compassionate care from a multidisciplinary team treating some of the most complex cases of heart and vascular disease. The Centre’s clinical and research expertise has improved the lives of patients around the world, while also training more cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons, and vascular surgeons than any other hospital in Canada. DoWhateverItTakes.ca

UHN is Canada’s #1 hospital and the world’s #1 publicly funded hospital. With 10 sites and more than 20,000 members of TeamUHN, UHN consists of Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, The Michener Institute of Education at UHN and West Park Healthcare Centre. As Canada’s top research hospital, the scope of research and complexity of cases at UHN have made it a national and international source for discovery, education and patient care. 

For media inquiries, please contact: Olivia Monardo, Public Relations Officer, olivia.monardo@uhn.ca, 416-669-0638

SOURCE UHN Foundation