Staff Giving Back - Your Impact - Sunnybrook Foundation

Staff
Giving
Back

your impact our stories Staff Giving Back

"I feel strongly that life cannot be just about you. If it is, then you've missed the mark," says patient care manager Mary Glavassevich, who works in Sunnybrook’s surgical oncology unit.

This lifelong belief has helped shape Mary’s career at Sunnybrook, which spans an incredible 51 years — and counting.

At Sunnybrook, Mary's devotion to the clinical team she supervises and her patients is well-known. But she is also celebrated for her unofficial role as Sunnybrook’s "fundraising queen.”

That’s because Mary has raised tens of thousands in support of Sunnybrook over the years. In fact, after eight years of consistently winning a top fundraiser award, she was told to “just keep” the event’s annual plaque.

Mary credits her fundraising success to her genuine passion for Sunnybrook and ability to connect with others.

Mary Glavassevich is celebrated for her 50 years at Sunnybrook by Dr. Andy Smith, President and CEO of Sunnybrook.

Patient care manager Mary Glavassevich has raised tens of thousands of dollars in support of Sunnybrook over the years.

Case in point: a grateful patient was inspired to donate $12,500 on the spot to Mary’s campaign for the RBC Race for the Kids after just speaking with Mary about how Sunnybrook transforms countless lives.

The RBC Race for the Kids supports Sunnybrook's Family Navigation Project, which helps young people with mental health and addiction issues and their families find the care they need.

Most recently, Mary raised $18,000 for the 2019 RBC Race for the Kids.

Mary's belief in philanthropy was instilled by her mother during her childhood on the island of Monteserrat. "We grew vegetables and she would always give her best ones to someone else," recalls Mary, who left her beloved family at age 19 to pursue a career in nursing.

"We pass through life so fast," says Mary. "My mother showed me there has to be something we can do to make it better."

Staff lottery is a win-win

Every two weeks, a Sunnybrook staff member hopes their number will come up, and they get the call telling them they and the hospital have won big.

Launched in June 2019, the 50/50 Sunnybrook Staff Lottery has since awarded more than $340,000 in cash prizes and raised nearly an equal amount to support advancements in patient care and research at Sunnybrook. And those numbers are growing by the day.

Staff engagement in the lottery is soaring, resulting in triple the number of tickets being made available and the bi-weekly prize pot rising to over $20,000 — a 65-per-cent increase since the lottery began.

"I think that the success of the lottery can be attributed to the fierce commitment staff have to the hospital, its patients and each other," says Christina Topp, vice president of marketing and community engagement at the Sunnybrook Foundation. "The lottery provides a fantastic opportunity for the team to further support Sunnybrook and the compassionate care they provide to its patients every day."

Sunnybrook staff trivia proves a success

Question: is it possible for Sunnybrook staff to raise $10,000 for the hospital through just a few hours of quick-witted trivia? Answer: a resounding yes.

More than 100 attendees gathered at the Local Leaside in November 2019 to support Sunnybrook's Practice-Based Research and Innovation (PBRI) program, which is building capacity through innovation fellowships and research seed grants.

The program awarded 17 fellowships and $100,000 to 19 principal investigators in 2018-19 alone, supporting projects to advance patient care, foster new knowledge and cultivate the next generation of health care leaders.

An overwhelming success, the inaugural PBRI Trivia Fundraiser saw a sold-out crowd — including many former grant recipients and fellows — compete to become trivia champions. The event was spearheaded by PBRI director Lisa Di Prospero and patient champion Deb McKenzie, but Lisa is quick to point out that it was a true team effort.

"There are twelve people on our planning committee and each one generously volunteered their time and put the event together on the side of their desks, which is amazing."

If you'd like to support life-saving innovations at Sunnybrook, donate now

Supporters

Meet some of the individuals, families and organizations who share our vision of inventing the future of health care.

Volunteer
Leadership

Our dedicated volunteers are essential to the work we do.

Rose Awards

Each year we celebrate extraordinary staff and volunteers who have inspired others to support Sunnybrook.

Financials

See the comprehensive financial report with our yearly progress.