History and mission

Committed to Health for 50 Years

The Montreal Sacré-Coeur Hospital Foundation supports three university hospitals with more than 75 years of history—institutions recognized for their humanity, expertise, innovation, and the quality of their care.

Doctors and hospital staff envision the care of tomorrow, but it is above all, thanks to the generosity of donors that we are able to bring these small and large future-focused projects to life, making Sacré-Cœur, Albert-Prévost, and Rivière-des-Prairies hospitals at the forefront of modern medicine.

Since its creation 50 years ago, the Foundation has contributed over $100 million to priority projects that significantly and concretely improve patient care.

A Human and Transformative Vision

The Foundation’s mission is to support the entire teams at Sacré-Cœur, Albert-Prévost, and Rivière-des-Prairies in continuously improving care, treatments, and the patient environment, while also supporting the research and teaching activities of these three university hospitals.

In addition to embracing the mission, it is important for members of the Foundation team, its Board of Directors, its volunteers, and its partners to share certain values and human qualities:

Compassion
Creativity
Partnership
Respect
Rigour
Caring and generosity
Transparency and integrity

Our History: Half a Century of Dedication

We owe the creation of the Foundation to the Sisters of Providence, a Catholic congregation founded in 1843. The Foundation was established in 1976 thanks to a generous bequest from the Letang estate. From the Foundation’s early days until 1986, a team of volunteers and employees from the Montreal Sacré-Coeur Hospital worked together to meet the institution’s needs for state-of-the-art medical equipment and research funding.

Since then, the organization’s activities have grown remarkably. Today, the Foundation consists of a team of 20 staff members and a Board of Directors made up of 30 volunteer members, all working wholeheartedly to support the physical and mental health of the community.

Over the past 50 years, the Foundation has led numerous campaigns to carry out projects that humanize care and improve the environment for patients and healthcare professionals across all fields and specialties.

 

 
 
1990 : The Foundation's First Capital Campaign

The Foundation launched the first capital campaign in its history, raising $6 million, notably for the expansion of the Research Centre and the acquisition of medical equipment, including an MRI machine. The campaign was held under the patronage of Robert Bourassa, then Premier of Québec, and chaired by Ms. Jeannine Guillevin Wood, President of Guillevin International.

 

 
2005 : Help Us Take Care of You Campaign – Some Remarkable Results

It's the launch of a second capital campaign, Help Us Take Care of You, which aimed to raise $35 million for the Montreal Sacré-Coeur Hospital. In just two years, the Foundation exceeded its goal, raising $36.5 million for several projects, including:

  • The purchase of a surgical robot and other specialized and ultra-specialized care equipment.
  • The renovation of the Emergency Department, the Coronary Care Unit, the Mother-and-Child Unit (now the Family Birthing Centre), and the Intensive Care Unit.
  • The establishment of the Chair in Schizophrenia and the Chair in Orthopedics.

This record-breaking campaign was co-chaired by Ms. Paule Doré, advisor to the founder and Chairman of the Board of CGI, and Mr. Lino Saputo Jr., formerly President and CEO of Saputo Inc. Broadcaster Guy Mongrain served as spokesperson.

 

 
2008-2010 : Blitz Campaigns to Accomplish Large-scale Projects

Certain projects, such as the construction of the Integrated Trauma Centre (ITC) and the acquisition of a PET-CT scanner, were funded in record time through fully dedicated rapid campaigns completed in barely one year. In 2008, the Foundation raised more than $10 million to fund the ITC, and in 2010, it raised $3.4 million to purchase the PET-CT scanner, essential equipment for the Nuclear Medicine Department. These two campaigns, supporting Sacré-Cœur’s passionate and determined experts, are a great source of pride for the Foundation team.

 

 
2018–Present : The Campaign Let's Change Lives Together, for Century-old Hospitals

The current capital campaign, Let's Change Lives Together, aims in particular to modernize the Spinal Cord Injury Unit (project completed), establish the Chair in Artificial Intelligence, and create the Integrated Renal Support Centre. This capital campaign has raised more than $21 million to date.

 

For a Total of $100 Million Contributed to Health

 

The Foundation owes these successes to all of its donors. For 50 years, it has been able to rely on major philanthropic families, private foundations, and large organizations to support its fundraising campaigns. The Foundation sincerely thanks them for their tremendous generosity.