When Willem Sagriff steps on the Point Municipal Park track in Sydenham on October 3, there will be no starting gun, no competitors and no medal waiting at the finish line. Instead, what will drive him forward, lap after lap, is something far more powerful.

This is a first-person story written by Julia Morris, who had open heart surgery in January 2025. The procedure is very rare because she was in her second trimester of pregnancy.

Last New Year’s Day, I was praying for a miracle.

This year, I get to hold one in my arms—because of the care, compassion and skill that saved us both.

At Providence Care, the holidays shine a little brighter thanks to a donor-funded program that provides small gifts—each worth $20 or less—to patients and clients who might otherwise have nothing waiting for them on Christmas morning.

“Twenty dollars doesn’t sound like much,” says Stacy Jowett, Director of Volunteer Services. “But it can mean a new pair of socks, a box of chocolates, or even a Tim Hortons card—something that says ‘Someone thought of you.’”

PHOTO ABOVE: Dr. Glenio Mizubuti, Dr. Gregory Klar and Dr. Tracy Cupido pitch their bone-enhanced ultrasound (BEUS) system, which uses artificial intelligence to create real-time 3D spinal images.

Two groundbreaking ideas designed to transform patient care and strengthen health services across southeastern Ontario received a total of $60,000 at University Hospitals Kingston Foundation’s (UHKF) annual Discovery Den event on Nov. 13.

University Hospitals Kingston Foundation (UHKF), Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) and Providence Care are proud to announce a landmark Double Your Donation Matching Gift Challenge.  

Running from November 3 through December 31, 2025, every dollar donated will be matched—up to $100,000—by a group of generous Angel Donors who wish to remain anonymous. 

Women preparing for ovarian cancer surgery at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) will soon benefit from an innovative new pilot project designed to improve recovery before they even enter the operating room.

With the help of a $43,738 grant from the Women’s Giving Circle, KHSC anesthesiologist Dr. Jordan Leitch is launching a pilot prehabilitation program (PreHabKHSC) focused on fitness, nutrition, and psychological well-being ahead of surgery.

Hyundai Canada, through its charitable foundation Hyundai Hope on Wheels, and 225 dealers nationwide, proudly presented a $100,000 donation to the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation (UHKF) in support of pediatric oncology services at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC). Additionally, Belleville Hyundai; Kingston Hyundai; Smiths Falls Hyundai, Seaway Hyundai and Brockville Hyundai joined forces to donate $50,000 to UHKF.

Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) has expanded its robotic surgery program with the arrival of a second surgical robot, strengthening its role as a national leader in advanced surgical care.  

Thanks to the generosity of community donors, KHSC can now nearly double the number of robotic-assisted surgeries performed each year, improving access for patients across southeastern Ontario. 

In light of the Canada Post strike, UHKF knows that many donors will want to continue to give generously in support of patients and programs at Kingston Health Sciences Centre and Providence Care, so the following methods are available for continued support.