Hope, and a Big Grant Announcement to Come This Fall
Published Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Message from Dr. Stephen Adams
Chair, Board of Directors, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation
Wow – how was your summer? It kind of flew by, didn't it? I hope you had some time doing your favourite summertime activities with your family and friends.
It's been a busy one around the Hospital, what with the CVS Program literally being built before our eyes. Then there's the Thunder Bay 50/50, which is still making millionaires – and often multi-millionaires – every month. Our community events continue to bring together donors and fundraisers to ensure we have great local healthcare, right here at home.
I'm looking forward to fall though for many reasons. One big reason is that the Tbaytel Luncheon of Hope is coming up next month. Once again, I'll have the honour of saying grace. I hope you have your tickets already because incredibly, the event is completely sold out already! No matter how many times I attend, I'm overwhelmed by the women who stand up and share personal stories of struggle and hope during their breast cancer journeys. This year, the keynote speaker will be TV personality and fashion icon Jeanne Beker. Jeanne will share the highs and lows of her own journey to “normalize the cancer conversation to help eliminate the fear” as she perfectly puts it. It's going to be a remarkable afternoon, and I'm can't wait to see everyone there!
On a related topic, I also want to mention that two days later on Sunday, October 19, the Thunder Bay Breast Cancer Support Group is hosting a Survivor Tea, 1pm at Howl at the Moon. It's open to all breast cancer patients and survivors who feel they could use the support of people who have been there, too. Email the group for more information: tbbcsg@gmail.com
Oh, and one last thing about this fall. I'm not going to tip it off too much, except to say that we will be making what could be the largest grants announcement in Health Sciences Foundation history! Either way, we anticipate it's going to be big – all thanks to generous donors like you. If you've donated to the Foundation, participated in a Foundation event, or bought a Thunder Bay 50/50 ticket, you're changing what's possible for the future of our Hospital and for patients across Northwestern Ontario.
Until then, let's hope this warmer weather holds on a little bit longer!
Dr. Stephen Adams