Visionaries Breakfast for Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation raises $483K, honours community leaders
When it comes to celebrating the visionaries who helped shape Queensway Carleton Hospital into the beloved healthcare institution it is today, it seems fitting to do so over the most forward-thinking meal: breakfast.
The late Wayne Hussey, retired city councillor Jan Harder and prominent lawyer Ron Prehogan were celebrated by a crowd of 285 during QCH Foundation’s annual Visionaries Breakfast. It was presented by Accora Village and held at Brookstreet Hotel.
The event raised $483,000 through business sponsorship and donations, bringing the total over the last three years to more than $1.3 million.
Hussey, Harder and Prehogan each played a key role in driving the success of QCH Foundation’s former $35-million Care Grows West campaign. The money raised helped to open the Irving Greenberg Family Cancer Centre and James Beech Health Care Centre, and expand the surgical suites and emergency department. The room heard about the three honourees’ deep love and commitment to family, their community, and QCH.
Accepting the award on behalf of Hussey, a larger-than-life fundraising consultant, were his sons, Dan and Matt Hussey. Harder vowed to reach the $1-million fundraising mark with the golf tournament she’s hosting for QCH Foundation this June. Prehogan, a partner at Brazeau Seller Law, reflected on the friends and community leaders who has lost along the way, including Solly Patrontasch and former hospital CEO Tom Schonberg, as well as community leader Arnie Vered, whose belief in the idea that “Together, we can make a difference” continues to be held by Prehogan.
From left, brothers Dan Hussey and Matt Hussey, accepting a Luminary Award in honour of their late father Wayne Hussey, alongside Luminary Award recipients Jan Harder and Ron Prehogan at the Visionaries Breakfast held in support of the Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at Brookstreet Hotel. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Dr. Ruchi Murthy, who emceed the breakfast, engaged guests in a multiple-choice quiz that challenged them to diagnose symptoms. A male patient who’s mildly under the weather but convinced he’s at death’s door? Why, he has the common cold (also known as a “man cold”).
Attendees included Alan Doak, board chair of the QCH Foundation and partner/co-founder at Proveras Commercial Realty, and Chad Schella, board vice chair of the QCH Foundation and chair of the QCH board, as well as associate vice-president of government relations at CIBC.
NDP MPP Chandra Pasma, who retained her Ottawa West-Nepean seat in the recent election, was present. Other recognized attendees included west-end city councillors Cathy Curry, Sean Devine, Glen Gower, David Hill, Allan Hubley, Laine Johnson and Wilson Lo.
Barbara Crook and her husband, Dan Greenberg, from presenting sponsor Accora Village, at the Visionaries Breakfast for Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation held on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at Brookstreet Hotel. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Chad Schella, chair of the board at Queensway Carleton Hospital and board vice chair of the QCH Foundation, with MPP Chandra Pasma and QCH board community member Asha Gajaria, and Schella’s wife, Catherine Clark, president of Catherine Clark Communications and co-founder of The Honest Talk, at the Visionaries Breakfast for the Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Honouree Ron Prehogan and his grandson Wesley Gottlieb talk to, far left, former Ottawa Senators player Chris Phillips (vice president of business operations for the club) and, far right, Otttawa Senators president Cyril Leeder at the Visionaries Breakfast. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, guests Keaton Ambrose (Chandos Construction), Adrian Jean (spark*advocacy), Dan Gray (president Arnon Development Corp.), Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation board chair Alan Doak (Proveras Commercial Realty), Ben George (Tony Graham Automotive Group), Ottawa city councillor Sean Devine and QCH physician Dr. Alex Astell at the Visionaries Breakfast for the Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Derek Brenzil, portfolio manager at Yorkville Asset Management, and Alan Whitten, partner at Huntington Properties and a past board chair of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation, at the Visionaries Breakfast. Photo by Caroline Phillips
The wireless, computer-controlled full-body patient simulator is part of Queensway Carleton Hospital’s new simulation training program, and purchased by the hospital through donations. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Attendees embraced the friendly and fun vibes, except for the stone-faced mannequin. The wireless, computer-controlled full-body patient simulator is part of the hospital’s new simulation training program. It was on display alongside several pieces of medical equipment, representing the kind of advanced medical devices and technology solely funded by donations.
In just 15 minutes, more than $350,000 was raised to purchase critical hospital equipment for QCH through a Fund-A-Need led by auctioneer Ryan Watson from Raising the Bid. He encouraged supporters to wave their bid paddles as a way of making their pledge. Retired Kinaxis CEO John Sicard — who’s recently joined the board of the Senators Community Foundation – gave $100,000, as did Barbara Crook, who, along with her hockey-loving husband, Dan Greenberg, have been long-time and generous supporters of QCH. Greenberg is president of Ferguslea Properties, which owns the Accora Village community.
Gordon Clark from the Kiwanis Club of Nepean pledged $50,000 in memory of the late Gavin Leishman. Also raising his paddle for $50,000 were QCH Foundation board member Ronald Richardson, corporate director with Calian Group, and a group from QCH Foundation’s Women in Philanthropy.
Cyril Leeder, president of the Ottawa Senators, pledged $10,000 to the hospital’s Mommy and Baby Unit. Leeder, who remains proud of the long-standing relationship between the team and QCH, was joined by former player Chris Phillips, who has served in honorary roles for QCH Foundation campaigns alongside his wife, Erin.
The Ottawa Senators’ donation seemed fitting, considering how the team’s players now have a total of 18 children. “And more coming,” Leeder added.
Leeder was presented with a Heart of Gold Award by Shannon Gorman, president and CEO of the Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation.
Shannon Gorman presented a Heart of Gold Award to Ottawa Senators president Cyril Leeder at the Visionaries Breakfast for the Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at Brookstreet Hotel. Photo by Caroline Phillips
The crowd heard from former patients, including Sarah Range, who faced complications delivering her son at QCH more than a year ago. The hospital staff not only saved her life but also provided support for her husband, Charlie, while she recovered in the ICU. The couple attended the breakfast with their healthy toddler, George, to publicly thank the hospital for its compassionate care.
Hot topics included the brand new bachelor of nursing program launching this fall at Carleton University in partnership with QCH. The program addresses the ongoing nursing shortage, and was first discussed following a TechTuesday event in Kanata North, where QCH and its foundation were invited to present by high-tech entrepreneur Terry Matthews. “It’s a home-grown solution to address a very significant challenge in healthcare,” QCH president and CEO Dr. Andrew Falconer said of the new nursing program.
Next year, QCH celebrates its 50th anniversary. The hospital serves a population of over 500,000 across west-end Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley, with suburban growth in such areas as Barrhaven, Kanata, and Stittsville. “That’s created tremendous pressures on our hospital,” said Falconer of overcrowding and long wait times.
“It’s time to invest in Queensway Carleton Hospital to meet the growing needs of our community,” said Falconer while sharing plans for the largest expansion in the hospital’s history. For starters, it’s going to be doubling the size of its emergency department. “It’s going to be huge, the emerg doctors might need some roller blades to get around,” joked Falconer.
The chief executive did stress that the hospital will be looking to the public for its support. “It’s time to invest in Queensway Carleton Hospital so that we can meet the needs of our community.”
Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation president and CEO Shannon Gorman, QCH president and CEO Dr. Andrew Falconer, and Ronald Richardson, corporate director with Calian Group and a former board chair of QCH Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Dr. Ruchi Murthy, an infectious disease physician and a board member with Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation, emceed the Visionaries Breakfast held on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at Brookstreet Hotel. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Stéphane Brutus, dean of the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa, and recently retired CEO John Sicard, a new board member with the Senators Community Foundation, at the Visionaries Breakfast for the Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation, held on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at Brookstreet Hotel. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Ryan Watson from Raising the Bid led a Fund-A-Need to raise money for much-needed medical equipment for Queensway Carleton Hospital. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Melanie Adams, former president and CEO of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation, with Jan Harder, a retired city councillor for Barrhaven and a Luminary Award recipient, at the Visionaries Breakfast for the Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Cyril Leeder and Chris Phillips from the Ottawa Senators hockey club, Queensway Carleton Hospital chief financial officer Cameron Best, Senators Community Foundation board members Tammy Scott and John Sicard and its foundation president, Jacqueline Belsito, joined by Jackson Gottlieb, nine, and Wesley Gottlieb, six — the grandsons of award recipient Ron Prehogan. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Former Queensway Carleton Hospital patient Sarah Range tries to keep her son George away from her microphone while sharing her patient story at the Visionaries Breakfast. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Chris Phillips, vice president of operations for the Ottawa Senators, with Senators Community Foundation board member Tammy Scott and Jennifer Stewart, founder and CEO of Syntax Strategic and co-founder of The Honest Talk, at the Visionaries Breakfast. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Gordon Clark from the Kiwanis Club of Nepean spoke about his organization’s $50,000 gift to Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation in honour of the late Gavin Leishman, who was a volunteer with QCH Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Andy Sparks, a real estate broker with Royal LePage Team Realty, and his wife, Karen Sparks, executive director of Wesley Clover Parks and a former chair of the board at Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation, at the Visionaries Breakfast. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Danielle Manley, director of the school of nursing in the faculty of science at Carleton University, listens to Barbara Crook during a conversation over breakfast at the Visionaries Breakfast held in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Jonelle Istead, principal at Syntax Strategic, with Youth Services Bureau Foundation executive director Patti Murphy, and Lee Rose, manager of community engagement for TD, at the Visionaries Breakfast held in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at Brookstreet Hotel. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Jonathan Westeinde, CEO and founder of Windmill Development Group, retired Ottawa firefighter Michael Gelineau, Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation board member Susan Finlay with Students on Ice, and Telfer School of Management Dean Stéphane Brutus at the Visionaries Breakfast. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Stephen Bleeker, founder and CEO at Assurance Home Care, Pamela McDonald Kuhne, director of innovation and partnership at Queensway Carleton Hospital, and her sister and Stephen’s wife, Carleton University alumni mentor, author and podcast host Janice McDonald, at the Visionaries Breakfast. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Namrata Goyes, director of development at The Ottawa Mission, MDS Aero Support Corp. president and CEO John Jastremski, and Carleton University’s interim chief advancement officer, Carrie Hobin, at the Visionaries Breakfast held in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Former Queensway Carleton Hospital patient Sarah Range with her toddler son George, who was born at QCH in February 2024. Photo by Caroline Phillips
This article is made possible through sponsorship from Star Motors, WCPD, Marilyn Wilson Dream Properties, ExecHealth, Infinity Convention Centre, Altis Recruitment, Bell Canada and First Avenue Investment Counsel.
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