FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hamilton, ON – [Wednesday, July 22, 2026] – As Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation (HHSF) celebrates 50 years of inspiring philanthropy, it is also celebrating the people whose generosity has helped transform health care across south-central Ontario.
For donors like Joan McLaughlin, supporting Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) has never been about a single gift. It has been a lifelong commitment.
“It’s just a place that pulls you in and keeps your heart,” says Joan.
Joan made her first gift to the Foundation in 1985 after beginning her career at Hamilton General Hospital. Over the years, HHS became part of both her professional and personal life. All three of her children were born at McMaster Children’s Hospital, and when her son required care in the neonatal intensive unit, Joan experienced firsthand the compassion and expertise that continue to define HHS today.
Those experiences inspired a lifetime of giving. Even after moving away from Hamilton, Joan continues to support the Foundation, having witnessed how philanthropy has helped advance research, fund leading-edge equipment and strengthen patient care.
“I’m probably a drop in the bucket,” Joan says. “But at the end of the day, a lot of drops can fill a bucket.”
Joan is only one of over 550,000 donors whose generosity has helped shape the Foundation over the last 50 years. Since 1976, Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation has generated more than $800 million in support of health care in our region through community philanthropy and careful stewardship of donor funds.
“As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we’re reflecting on an incredible legacy built by generations of donors who believed in the power of giving to transform health care,” says Anissa Hilborn, CEO of the Foundation. “Joan’s story reminds us that philanthropy is deeply personal. Every gift, regardless of its size, helps create better outcomes for patients and families.”
“This milestone is also about looking ahead. The next 50 years of health care will demand bold research, new technologies, innovative models of care and continued collaboration between our hospitals and our community. Together, we’ll continue shaping the future of care for generations to come.”
As HHSF marks its 50th anniversary, it celebrates not only the milestones achieved but the people behind them – donors like Joan McLaughlin, whose generosity continues to make extraordinary care possible.
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About Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation:
Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation provides vital funding to enable the best possible patient care. We inspire and motivate gifts that fund medical equipment and patient amenities, innovative research initiatives, essential redevelopment of clinical care spaces, and the education and training of health care providers.
As a registered charitable organization, we proudly support patients and families across south-central Ontario, and from outside the region, who receive specialized care at Hamilton Health Sciences including Hamilton General Hospital, Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre, McMaster Children’s Hospital, and St. Peter’s Hospital. The associated programs at the Regional Rehabilitation Centre, McMaster University Medical Centre and Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre are also included.