Across Canada, social profit organizations are driving transformative change in healthcare, bringing forward new ideas, challenging inequities, and delivering compassionate care. At the heart of this work is a shared commitment to excellence—not as a fixed destination, but as a standard that must constantly be pursued, stretched, and redefined.
Excellence can live at the bleeding edge of research and care, in ways that expand what’s possible in medicine. It can also mean delivering high-quality care to those who have been historically underserved or overlooked. And it can be about calling attention to where excellence has been absent altogether, demanding better through advocacy and inclusion.
Three organizations—Sunnybrook Hospital Foundation, Kensington Health, and Women’s Health Collective Canada (WHCC)—embody this commitment in distinct yet deeply interconnected ways. Their stories illustrate how visionary leadership can move us closer to a more equitable, innovative, and compassionate healthcare system.
Pushing the Boundaries of What’s Possible: Sunnybrook Hospital Foundation
Sunnybrook Hospital Foundation is advancing life-changing research and care that directly improves outcomes for patients and their families. Their work supports major breakthroughs in brain sciences, trauma care, women’s and babies’ health, and more.
One of their most significant recent initiatives is the “For Everyone with a Brain” campaign—a bold effort to fund the new Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre. With over $90 million raised, this campaign is a powerful example of how compelling vision and community-centered storytelling can rally support for transformational progress. The new centre is a world-class facility for mental health, dementia care, stroke recovery, and brain injury research.
Sunnybrook is a clear example of what it means to strive for excellence by innovating at the frontiers of care—bringing the future of healthcare into the present through research, investment, and bold leadership.
We are proud to be partnering with Sunnybrook Hospital Foundation as they continue their work at the forefront of patient-centered innovation. Through our Campaign & Fundraising Counsel services, we are working closely with Sunnybrook’s leadership and fundraising teams to support the design and execution of a major new campaign. This initiative not only reflects the Foundation’s ambitions but also demonstrates what’s possible when vision and strategy come together.
Delivering Excellence to the Underserved: Kensington Health
Excellence in healthcare isn’t just about cutting-edge technology—it’s also about how care is delivered, and to whom. Kensington Health exemplifies this through its community-based, integrated model that serves people with complex medical and social needs.
What sets Kensington apart is their ability to break down barriers to care. Spanning long-term care, hospice, specialized clinics, and community programs, Kensington’s services work together to offer seamless, patient-centered support. Their wraparound model ensures that even the most vulnerable individuals receive care that is compassionate, accessible, and dignified.
By meeting people where they are, Kensington demonstrates that excellence also means inclusivity, accessibility, and a commitment to equity. Their work is a model for how care can and should be delivered at the community level.
Advocating for Excellence Where It’s Been Absent: Women’s Health Collective Canada
While some organizations advance excellence through innovation and others by meeting overlooked needs, WHCC is committed to advocating for excellence in areas where it has been historically denied. Their national work highlights critical gaps in women’s health research, funding, and care delivery—and takes action to close them.
Through campaigns like #WhyCare, WHCC is calling attention to long-standing inequities in Canada’s healthcare systems and advancing a new model—one rooted in gender equity, inclusive data, and collaborative leadership. By bringing together leading women’s health foundations from across the country, they are reshaping national priorities and expectations.
We were honoured to support WHCC with our Executive Search services that helped secure leadership aligned with their bold mission. Their work reminds us that advocacy is an essential part of excellence—pushing the system to acknowledge and correct its blind spots.
A Shared Pursuit of Excellence
While each of these organizations leads in different ways, they are united by a shared belief: that excellence is not a static benchmark—it’s a commitment to always push further. Whether through groundbreaking research, community-based care, or national advocacy, Sunnybrook, Kensington Health, and WHCC are redefining what excellence looks like in healthcare.
At The Discovery Group, we are proud to walk alongside leaders who are raising the bar in pursuit of healthier, more just communities. Whether supporting organizations through capital campaigns, governance, or executive search, our role is to help them achieve their boldest goals.
If your organization is growing, preparing for a major campaign, or planning for what’s next, we would welcome the opportunity to explore how we can support you.
Learn more about our services in campaign and fundraising counsel, strategic planning and governance, and executive search.
Connect with us today to start the conversation.