Double your impact for kids like Ella

At the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba we’re inspired by families who share their stories and health care journeys with us. It gives hope to other families who need Manitoba’s only children’s hospital.

Here’s a story about Ella who will be with her family this holiday season.

What started with a rash and fever escalated to fatigue, bruising, weight loss, and the inability to walk. Bloodwork confirmed Ella’s parents worst fear – she was diagnosed with leukemia when she was only three years old.

Ella’s treatment brought the family to many areas of HSC Children’s. They spent the most time, hundreds of hours, in CK5. That’s the childhood cancer and blood disorders ward where children and their families face the most challenging time of their lives.

Small class, big future: FPDI helps transform a dream into a career path

One of Ayden Dyck’s most enduring childhood memories is of watching his dad Rob perform odd jobs around the family’s home in Riverton.

“Growing up, it was always a hassle with the pipes and other stuff going on in the house: the toilet not working, the hot water not running. My dad was a single dad so he was always fixing everything himself,” Dyck recalls.

“Seeing that, I always wanted to do something with plumbing when I grew up.”

Dyck, now 21, is a step closer to realizing that career dream thanks to First People’s Development Inc. FPDI is a non-profit organization that facilitates partnerships aimed at developing and delivering training-to-employment programs in partnership with 28 Manitoba First Nations communities.

Give Hope This Giving Tuesday

For many, home is where you feel safe and supported. For Jenelle, growing up in foster care meant learning early to rely on herself – to navigate a world that didn’t always have a safety net. Seeking purpose and belonging, she joined the Canadian Armed Forces at nineteen, embracing structure and a chance to be part of something bigger.

But years of service left deep wounds. Her body healed, but her mind did not. Chronic pain, sleepless nights, and memories she couldn’t escape made everyday life overwhelming. Navigating support programs alone felt impossible, and eventually, Jenelle lost her housing.

When she came to Siloam Mission, a warm meal reminded her she wasn’t alone. At Siloam’s Saul Sair Health Centre, she received medical care to safely manage her pain. Through the Building Futures program – Siloam Mission’s supportive employment initiative – Jenelle found steady work with the MOST crew, a rhythm and purpose helping her regain stability.

Today, Jenelle is slowly rebuilding her life. She still carries her past, but she no longer carries it alone. Every meal, every night in shelter, every person housed, and every step toward healing is made possible because of supporters like you.

Stronger together: businesses for health care innovation

"With Wawanesa's 129-year history in Manitoba, and Western Financial Group's long-term presence here, we understand how important HSC is to our province. We all know someone who has relied on HSC's care, and we're proud to support the Operation Excellence campaign to ensure that Manitobans continue to benefit from leading health care. We stand together in support of HSC and the frontline teams who make excellence in care possible."

- Evan Johnston, President & Chief Executive Officer, Wawanesa Insurance; Grant Ostir, Chief Executive Officer, Western Financial Group

Learn more about our Corporate Challenge at OperationExcellence.ca or call 204-515-5612 or toll-free at 1-800-679-8493.

Upgrades will provide ‘extraordinary enhancements’ to patient care at the Grace

It’s no secret that many people experience some level of anxiety prior to undergoing a surgical procedure.

A planned $2 million upgrade to Grace Hospital’s minimally invasive operating room suite could go a long way in helping to reduce some of that anxiousness patients may be feeling in the days leading up to surgery.

Work to upgrade and expand capacity in the Winnipeg hospital’s minimally invasive operating room area is expected to begin this spring.

That work will include completely re-outfitting the hospital’s existing minimally invasive operating room used for general surgeries with the very latest high-tech instrumentation including new lighting, scopes and monitoring equipment. In addition, an existing general operating room will be transformed into a second minimally invasive suite that will double Grace’s capacity for minimally invasive general surgeries.

Make Your Holiday Haul a Fargo Getaway

If you’re looking to make the most of your holiday shopping this year, there’s no better place for a festive cross-border escape than Fargo. If you haven’t been here in a while, the city is excited to showcase the new stores, refreshed experiences, and friendly charm that has made Fargo a longtime go-to destination for shopping trips.

Start your trip with Fargo’s biggest retail draws. West Acres Mall remains the centerpiece, with new additions such as Von Maur, an upscale department store renowned for its exceptional service and gift-friendly selection. Of course, you can also stop by Costco, Target, and Scheels.

Beyond the mall, Fargo’s local boutiques shine during the holidays. Downtown Fargo offers a walkable stretch of independent shops, artisan makers, and locally owned treasures you won’t find anywhere else. Vintage Point showcases a wide array of gifts and locally produced items, and will be offering 10% off this season with a Canadian ID. Plus, if you haven’t yet, stop at Brewhalla, a unique indoor market featuring food stalls, craft beer, and local vendors.

No Fargo getaway is complete without a few festive traditions. Christkindlmarkt transforms the Civic Center into a holiday village filled with local makers, warm drinks, live music, and European-inspired cheer. The Red River Valley Fairgrounds puts on the largest Holiday Lights display in the valley. And Bonanzaville, with its annual Christmas on the Prairie event.

Homelessness is a (Systemic) Choice

The 2024 Street Census showed us that homelessness in Winnipeg is getting worse. The count returned 2,469 folks this time, up from 1,256 in 2022 (nearly doubling in two years). It’s obvious to see that the challenge has grown – all one has to do is look around.

While it’s easy to blame the individual, it’s misguided and detrimental to progress ― sure, something the person did might have prompted their experience of homelessness, but those ‘decisions’ take place within a context shaped by countless factors beyond their control. If the likelihood of homelessness were random, and the situation prompted simply by individual choices, we should see various demographics represented in line with the broader city’s demographics.

But we don’t ― not even close.

From the Street Census we learned that, of those experiencing homelessness:

Full Circle

Sixty years after moving to California, Jean Lang still cherishes the memories of her time training as a nurse in Winnipeg. She enjoyed a wonderful career and remains grateful for the education she received in Manitoba. As an expression of her gratitude, Jean has joined the Bannatyne Legacy Circle by making a planned gift to the Health Sciences Centre Foundation. Here is an excerpt from her legacy story:

"By 2012, Lang started to plan her 'exit strategy' with an eye to retirement in 2014. Working with a financial advisor, Lang decided to make sure that charitable giving was part of the plan and ultimately decided to support the Health Sciences Centre Foundation, thereby joining the Bannatyne Legacy Circle. The gift to the Foundation will come from an insurance policy that Lang's father bought for her when she was young. 'It seemed like giving back to where it all started was the right thing to do,' she says. 'It was full circle."

Her decision was reinforced by her family's many experiences with the hospital. Her late father received treatment there for his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, her brother-in-law was recently a patient, and her niece, Sandra Lang Donald-a member of the 100th nursing graduation class at HSC-continues to work at HSC as Manager of Health Services in the Renal Health Program.

Lang has also attended a number of class reunions over the years and stays in touch with former classmates. 'Whether I'm there or my family is there, HSC is still part of my life, still touching me,' she says."

Meeting over coffee, connecting through care

Dementia is a tough diagnosis. Having people to lean on, who deeply understand, is so important. The Alzheimer Society is your place to connect, ask for help and grow your support system.

The ‘coffee ladies’ can attest to that. Every week, these five women bring their husbands to the Society for their support group for people living with dementia, and then, together, head across the street to a local coffee shop.

What began as a simple coffee break turned into a regular get-together — a time to talk, laugh and support one another. While each of their experiences is unique, they’ve found comfort in knowing they’re not alone.

Bev’s story

FPDI has something special cooking

A new program being offered by First Peoples Development Inc. (FPDI) is cooking up something special.

FPDI has partnered with the Manitoba Tourism Education Council (MTEC) to deliver the Line Cook Program. The immersive five-week training session provides two weeks of in-class instruction as well as three weeks of hands-on training in the kitchen that covers a variety of subjects including the fundamentals of food preparation, cooking techniques and plating.

Participants also receive certification in several customer service and safety initiatives such as CPR training, budgeting and how to deal with difficult situations. Tuition as well as items such as a jacket, hat, paring knife and all necessary food supplies are provided at no cost to eligible participants.

The first cohort of five students graduated from the program in June. A second intake of students commenced studying in September.

Operation Excellence: A community campaign for surgical innovation at HSC

| With donors stepping forward to support Operation Excellence, HSC is purchasing and deploying new, state-of-the-art surgical and diagnostic equipment, and is developing new spaces for surgery and patient care.

With the goal to reduce diagnostic and surgical wait lists, your continued support will make a difference for generations of Manitobans.

Learn more and donate at OperationExcellence.ca or call 204-515-5612 or toll-free at 1-800-679-8493.

Events With Impact

Did You Know?

Children’s Rehabilitation Foundation is the fundraising entity for the Rehabilitation Centre for Children which supports children and youth discovering their full potential and participating in their communities.The Rehabilitation Centre for Children operates out of the state-of-the-art SSCY Centre on Notre Dame Avenue. It manages over 25,000 clinical visits annually and provides outreach services to homes, schools and daycares across our province, including First Nations communities.Through its investment in the Rehabilitation Centre for Children, CRF supports essential programs, clinical services, research, technology and equipment for youth up to the age of 21 living with a range of physical and cognitive disabilities.You can be a difference maker. Host your “Event with Impact” this fall and winter.

Get involved: crf.mb.ca/fundraise

Returning to Routine

| In November 2024, Al Simoens was one of the first urology patients at HSC to be treated with the da Vinci Xi surgical robot, funded by the HSC Foundation's Operation Excellence campaign.

"I've always been aware of prostate issues. Sadly, my dad passed away from prostate cancer when he was 74. When my PSA levels spiked outside of the normal range, and a biopsy confirmed that I had early-stage prostate cancer, I knew that I would need to undergo a radical prostatectomy–surgery to remove the entire prostate gland and some lymph nodes around it.

I'm so glad that robot-assisted surgery was available!

FPDI program provides a supportive learning environment

Jordan Beach had a comfortable job working as a customer service representative for a large corporation, but there was something about the work that had him feeling unsatisfied.

“When I was doing the office job, it was pretty nice. But being inside all day was not for me. I prefer being outside and doing more physical work,” he says.

It was about the same time this past spring when Beach learned about the plumbing course offered through First People’s Development Inc. (FPDI) a non-profit organization that facilitates partnerships aimed at developing and delivering training-to-employment programs in partnership with 28 Manitoba First Nations communities.

FPDI’s plumbing program is offered in conjunction with the Piping Industry Technical College of Manitoba. It’s a 10-month program that teaches students about the latest plumbing industry techniques and tools and provides them with hands-on opportunities to learn everything from cutting and measuring pipe to installing valves, readblueprints and interpret plumbing code. Tuition is free for qualifying applicants.