Celebrating a family legacy built through philanthropy
In 2021, siblings Howard and Mindy Ganz made a transformational $10 million gift to Sinai Health on behalf of the Ganz Family Foundation to expand the surgical team’s capacity at Mount Sinai Hospital in order to perform complex operations, firmly positioning the hospital as a national leader in surgical care.
Supporting life-changing surgical advancements
Named in honour of Howard and Mindy’s parents Sam and Gitta, the Sam and Gitta Ganz Surgical Floor is part of Renew Sinai, a multi-year redevelopment project transforming and revitalizing many of Mount Sinai Hospital’s most important facilities.
For the more than 16,000 patients who have surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital every year, the new surgical floor ensures an enhanced care experience and improved outcomes. Outfitted with leading-edge technology and equipment, the reimagined space was designed to support the most innovative surgeries available today and integrate all the different elements of surgery onto one floor. This streamlining of the entire surgical process, including pre- and post-operative services, will dramatically improve the patient experience while creating efficiencies for clinical teams.
“Only a few years ago, an advanced surgical centre like this sounded like science fiction,” says Dr. Jay Wunder, Surgeon-In-Chief at Sinai Health. “But the future is now.”
The family’s generous gift will impact and enhance many critical components of the Mount Sinai Hospital surgical redevelopment project, from completing all spaces with leading-edge technology to upgrading surgical instruments and patient systems. These enhancements will be in use daily, helping improve patient outcomes in many of our key areas including surgical oncology, gynaecology and orthopaedics, among others.
Creating a legacy for their family
Howard and Mindy’s parents arrived in Toronto as immigrants. The city welcomed them with open arms, giving them the chance to renew their lives after the Holocaust. Over the years, they built a home and a family in the community that gave them a second chance. Both Sam and Gitta received medical care during their lives at Mount Sinai Hospital and were always grateful for the compassion shown by the hospital’s staff.
“This gift gives us the opportunity to repay Sinai Health and the city of Toronto for the care our family has received throughout our lives,” says Howard Ganz. “It has allowed Mindy and myself to honour our parents good name with a lasting legacy that we know they would both be proud of.”