Do you believe us now?
Published Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Members of our Board, Campaign Cabinet, and Foundation Leadership were on hand for today's ground breaking.
There were moments over the past decade when it felt like this day might never come.
We faced unplanned delays. Setbacks. Shifting timelines. And challenges none of us saw coming. The promise we made to bring cardiovascular surgery home to Northwestern Ontario started to feel out of reach.
Some believed cardiovascular surgery would never be available here. We made sure it did!
Today, we finally get to say the words so many have been waiting to hear:
It's really happening.
This morning, we marked the official ground breaking for the new wing to have Cardiovascular Surgery at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Construction may have started "not so quietly" back in March, but today is the moment it becomes something we can all see, feel, and celebrate together.
For everyone who believed, stopped believing, questioned, hoped, and waited, this moment belongs to you.
You, our donors were the first to step forward. Individuals, families, local businesses, and volunteers — all early believers who understood that cardiac care closer to home wasn't just a dream. It was a necessity.
To date, over $20 million has been raised through the Our Hearts at Home Cardiovascular Surgery Campaign, making it the largest fundraising initiative in the history of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation.
Watch Dr. Henderson, Glenn, and I reflect on the journey so far:
On behalf of our entire Campaign Cabinet and as someone who has witnessed this journey from the beginning: Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
This isn't the end of the story — it's the beginning of something that will change healthcare across Northwestern Ontario.
Paul Fitzpatrick, FCPA, FCA
Chair, Our Hearts at Home Cardiovascular Surgery Campaign