Celebrating the great ones

The 2024 Tribute Dinner was an inspiring celebration of determination. Close to 1,000 people gathered at RBC Place London on October 9th to hear from Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser, a four-time Olympic gold medalist and physician, and honour the greatness of the care teams and generous donors.

Dr. Wickenheiser knows a thing or two about giving it her all. As both a hockey star and a health care professional, she’s dedicated to leaving “the game” better than she found it. That drive is shared by physicians and researchers across St. Joseph’s, all committed to improving patient care, and by the generous donors who give back to make life better for others.

This annual fundraising event pays tribute to some of the most generous individuals in our community while showcasing how St. Joseph’s is leading the way in care and research. An inspiring presentation from a Canadian icon is just icing on the cake.

The future of patient care

Roy Butler, St. Joseph’s President & CEO, introduced many in the audience to a bold new field of medical imaging – theranostics – that is transforming care for cancer and other diseases. The audience was wowed by a video showcasing St. Joseph’s leadership in the field and the great promise of using PET/CT imaging for diagnosing and treating disease at the molecular level.

Earlier in the day, Dr. Wickenheiser had the chance to tour medical imaging at St. Joseph’s and learn more about theranostics from Dr. Narinder Paul, Chief, Medical Imaging. She was impressed by the life-changing potential of personalized, targeted therapies for treating disease. “Many of these imaging technologies are made possible by our donor community,” Butler shared during the dinner, highlighting the incredible impact of donor support.

Leading by example

Then it was time to look back on the legacy of London’s own Thompsons, “a family dedicated to improving the wellbeing of others”, as Board Chair Bill Tucker said. Bev and her late husband Jim spent their lives quietly supporting needs across St. Joseph’s including medical imaging and other causes that have touched thousands of lives.

Bev and Jim have proudly passed down their values of philanthropy, kindness and paying it forward to their children and grandchildren. Their son Gord Thompson was on hand to accept the family’s honour. Gord applauded all the people in the community who strive to make it better and echoed Hayley’s message about doing good.

“Leaving the world a better place, that’s why we do what we do,” Gord shared about his family’s reason for giving back.

Dig a little deeper

When Dr. Wickenheiser took the stage, she did so as the very first female speaker at a Tribute Dinner. But she’s no stranger to blazing a trail; she was the first female player to score a point in a men’s professional game, and the first woman to play and coach in NHL development camps. Today she’s the assistant general manager of player development for the Toronto Maple Leafs, a practising physician and a proud mom.

She recalled the hard work that propelled her to success in hockey, and the strength that guided her through medical school. “What you don’t see during the Olympics is the training and all the grinding. It’s the same in health care,” Dr. Wickenheiser said. “When somebody needs you, you’re there. It’s a performance-on-demand approach, just like hockey.”

Dr. Wickenheiser also shouted out fellow Olympic gold medalist and Londoner Maggie Mac Neil who was in the audience with her mother, St. Joseph’s physician Dr. Susan McNair. One of Canada’s most accomplished swimmers, Mac Neil knows what it’s like to chase dreams and give her best.

“As a little girl, I wanted to be Wayne Gretzky,” Dr. Wickenheiser shared. “I had no female icons to look up to. But all that’s changed. Now, I’m most proud that a little girl can walk into any hockey rink and nobody thinks twice.”

She encouraged the crowd to pursue their own greatness and dig a little deeper, the motto of Team Canada. “The game has come so far. You never know what’s possible.”

The night concluded with an exciting raffle draw – just another example of the community coming together to support healthcare at St. Joseph’s in a memorable way. All of the proceeds from the dinner, including ticket sales, raffle and silent auction purchases and sponsorship, will support the Spirit of St. Joseph’s Fund, helping to meet the highest priority needs in care, teaching and research across the organization. 

The winner ticket numbers for the raffle: 1st prize – 1689, 2nd prize – 2341, 3rd prize  – 0823, 4th prize - 1173).