Sunnybrook treated Martin St. Pierre throughout his life, and now with a gift in his Will his own generosity has come full circle
The late Martin St. Pierre often said that Sunnybrook saved his life, but it also changed his life. In 1953, Martin was serving as a Medical Corps School instructor at CFB Borden when health issues required a six-month stay at Sunnybrook Military Hospital, which later became Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.
While recovering in the hospital, Martin’s life was changed in a way he never expected. One day, a volunteer brought her daughter into the wards for a visit – and that’s when Martin met Hazel, the love of his life. They were married for 63 years.
Martin was grateful to Sunnybrook for that chance encounter, and for many other reasons. Sunnybrook provided him with crucial care early in his life, and important treatment toward the end of it when he was diagnosed with cancer. So grateful in fact, Martin included a gift in his Will to support Sunnybrook’s exceptional services, becoming a member of the Kilgour Legacy Society. Antoinette de Jager, executor of Martin’s estate and a long-time friend, joined him during visits to Sunnybrook in his later years.
“Martin spoke highly of Sunnybrook. He said the staff and volunteers understood what people were going through physically, mentally and emotionally,” says Antoinette. “I saw this firsthand when I went in with him.”
The Kilgour Legacy Society was established to honour and recognize individuals who have made a commitment to shape the future of health care by including Sunnybrook in their estate plans. These donors will make a lasting impact on the advancement of care and research at Sunnybrook.
Martin’s gift to Sunnybrook was especially impactful because it was directed towards the hospital’s highest priority needs, providing both flexibility and the potential for maximum impact. His donation has since supported two key initiatives: the Peter Cipriano Centre for Seniors Health and adaptive radiotherapy technology in the Odette Cancer Program.
For a man who met the love of his life at Sunnybrook in the Veterans hospital and received care here for his own cancer, it’s fitting for his gift to continue supporting Veterans and seniors, and advancing personalized cancer care for many more people. Sunnybrook cared for Martin throughout his life, and now, through his estate gift, his generosity has come full circle.
Leave a Legacy of Care
By including Sunnybrook in your Will or estate plan, you support innovative research and life-saving treatments that will improve patient outcomes for generations to come. A legacy gift may be a quiet, selfless act, but its impact is profound.
Legacy gifts help ensure that Sunnybrook can continue to provide care for patients and their families during their toughest moments. There are various ways to structure a legacy gift that enable you to take care of your loved ones first and foremost, while also making a lasting difference in the future of health care.
Interested in leaving a legacy at Sunnybrook? Contact Christa Kelly at christa.kelly@sunnybrook.ca. Every gift makes a difference.
