QEII Foundation

09/01/2026

From urology, to gynecology, to neurology and beyond, surgical robotics technology is playing a bigger role in surgeries at the QEII Health Sciences Centre. As of July 2026, nearly 4,000 patients have benefited from robotic-assisted surgeries in Nova Scotia.

Robotic-assisted surgery gives surgeons enhanced sight and control, allowing them to customize surgeries. For patients, this can mean faster recoveries, shorter stays, reduced blood loss and pain and fewer complications.

“Ultimately, this is not simply an investment in technology. It is an investment in our patients, our healthcare professionals and the future capacity of our health system,” says Eileen MacGibbon, vice president of operations for Nova Scotia Health.

At the QEII, six out of seven of the surgical robots were made possible with support from QEII Foundation donors and our surrounding community. 💜 Read the CTV article: https://bit.ly/3Rl2GJT

08/31/2026

As a QEII endocrinologist and clinical trial investigator in Nova Scotia, Dr. Thomas Ransom has been involved in more than 200 trials over the years.

Clinical trials are a critical step in the development of new treatments. Before a medication reaches pharmacy shelves, it must undergo rigorous testing to ensure it is safe and effective. Researchers examine not only whether a drug works, but also how it affects patients over time and whether it offers benefits beyond its original purpose.

"You might have a cholesterol drug that lowers cholesterol," he explains. "But does it reduce heart attacks? That's what these larger studies are designed to answer,” 💜 he says. Read more: https://bit.ly/4bUPKnF

Story credit: Nova Scotia Health

08/27/2026

Jordan Boyd was just 16 years old when he collapsed on the ice during hockey training camp. Only after his passing did physicians determine Jordan had a rare inherited heart condition. Genetic testing at the QEII revealed Jordan's mother, Debbie, carried the same mutation. So did Jordan's older brother, Greg.

Inside the QEII’s Jordan Boyd Inherited Heart Disease Clinic, which has been named after Jordan and his family’s unwavering commitment since 2024, you’ll find expert care, advanced genetic testing and the opportunity to identify and intervene.

For more than a decade, the Boyd family has partnered with the QEII Foundation to advance inherited heart disease research and care at the QEII, raising more than $1.2 million (and counting!) to ultimately help prevent sudden death from cardiac arrest. And now, they’re continuing onto the next chapter.

Stephen & Debbie Boyd, together with the Boyd brothers and their families, are matching every donation, dollar-for-dollar, to help relocate and revitalize the Jordan Boyd Inherited Heart Disease Clinic and Pacemaker Device Lab, up to $200,000.

"Jordan's diagnosis changed the course of our family's life in ways we never could have imagined," says Debbie Boyd. "Following our own diagnoses, Greg underwent life-changing heart surgery, and I received an implantable defibrillator that continues to protect me today. We both continue to receive lifelong monitoring and care, so we know firsthand how critical these spaces are and the impact this transformation will have.” 💜 Read more:

Every week, people arrive at the Jordan Boyd Inherited Heart Disease Clinic carrying questions no family ever expects to ask. Why did their heart stop without warning? Could someone else in our family be at risk? Is there anything we can do to prevent it from happening again?For many, a referral to....

08/26/2026

Wow! Yesterday, we celebrated what happens when an incredible partnership and community come together for QEII patients. Over the past two years, our QEII Foundation & Halifax Thunderbirds partnership has grown into something truly special.

A huge thank you to the Halifax Thunderbirds organization, their season ticket holders and their fans who have rallied behind our QEII Patient Essentials Fund in an incredible way, helping patients through some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Because when you’re focused on your health, something as simple as transportation, a meal, medication or another everyday essential can make all the difference.

This is community showing up for community!

We couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve built together, and we’re just getting started. We can’t wait to build on this incredible impact as we head into the 2026/2027 Halifax Thunderbirds season! 💜

08/26/2026

Strokes know no gender or age, and can happen with little warning. Survivors can face a lengthy rehabilitation journey. That’s why our community is helping make each patient's journey at the QEII’s Nova Scotia Rehabilitation and Arthritis Centre (NSRAC) the best it can be.

With support from our donors, we'll bring a new, top-of-the-line X-ray machine — the Precision 180 Fluoroscopy System — to the NSRAC. This crucial equipment will help ensure patients recovering from stroke, injury or certain conditions have access to the most advanced technology available, when and where they need it most.

To help make this possible, we have partnered with the Hewitt Foundation to triple each donation made to the Precision 180 Fluoroscopy System. That means every $1 = $3, helping our fluoroscopy project come to the QEII faster than ever imagined.

Your support will provide clearer images and potentially shorter wait times and shorter hospital stays, meaning more time spent with family enjoying precious moments. 💜 Get involved: https://bit.ly/4gklioo

08/25/2026

We’re wishing a happy 7th workiversary to our superstar Brand Marketing Manager, Sara Russell! ✨

As a NSCAD Bachelor of Fine Arts grad and obtaining a Masters in Graphic Design in 2024, Sara uses her rich creative talents to shape the look-and-feel of our branding from the ground up. Sara’s an expert on leaning into visuals to tell stories, bringing the creative direction of our advertising campaigns to life.

Some of Sara’s favourite projects so far include designing our 2025 BMO Ride for Cancer jersey and medal, thinking big for design placements on billboards and buses, and designing a stunning mural for the QEII’s gynecological oncology waiting room. She enjoys scrubbing into the QEII’s operating rooms to support video and photo shoots and seeing technology like surgical robotics up close and in action!

Sara is also the co-chair of our Equity Diversity & Inclusion Committee, helping advance and inspire the QEII Foundation’s work in EDI within staff initiatives and beyond.

Outside of work, Sara’s creativity also shines in her hobbies – she has a solo art exhibit at the Halifax Central Library in August 2025! She’s a fan of oil painting, ballet, and collecting VHS tapes. She treasures time spent with her Aussie Shepherd, Juniper, and rescue cat, Rollie.

Sara, cheers to an amazing 7 years! We’re incredibly lucky to have your talented creative leadership on our QEII Foundation team. 💜

08/24/2026

👏 Welcome, Dr. Greg Bailly, to our QEII Foundation Board of Directors!

As a QEII urologist, chief of urology for Nova Scotia Health, and head of Dalhousie University’s Department of Urology, Dr. Bailly is an accomplished healthcare practitioner and leader. We're excited that he's chosen to share his valuable experience with our Board help transform care through the QEII Health Sciences Centre. 💜

08/20/2026

In January 2026, Andreas Fraissl was enjoying the last days of a visit to Nova Scotia from Germany. As a child, his parents owned a cottage near Yarmouth and his family visited often. Before his flight home, he ended up in the emergency room at the QEII Health Sciences Centre for what turned out to be an emergency gall bladder surgery.

Receiving any type of health care while travelling abroad is stressful – even more so for Andreas who navigated the ordeal in a second language and a fear of hospitals. But Andreas was moved by the incredibly compassionate approach at the QEII.

“She was really exceptional because she was very empathetic,” he says of Laura Brown, the healthcare provider who was working an overtime shift when she admitted Andreas to the QEII. “She really had the ability to calm me down.”

Andreas was also impressed by the time the doctor took to fill out a 12-page form needed for insurance to fly home in a timely manner. “Honestly, in Germany, nobody would have done that. The Canadian people, they are just so empathetic and friendly and helpful,” Andreas says. Read more:

Visitor requires emergency surgery at the QEIIIn January 2026, Andreas Fraissl was enjoying the last days of a visit to Nova Scotia from Germany. As a child, his parents owned a cottage near Yarmouth and they visited often. As adults, he and his brother Thomas revived the tradition with an annual wi...

08/19/2026

📣 Another major milestone for nuclear medicine at the QEII! The QEII’s second StarGuide has arrived at the QEII's Victoria General (VG) site and is now officially scanning patients. In 2024, the QEII became the first health centre in Canada to acquire StarGuide SPECT/CT nuclear medicine technology, bringing the first of these two best-in-class scanners to the Halifax Infirmary (HI) site.

Now that the second one has arrived and with a StarGuide now at both QEII sites, this advanced technology is helping care teams more precisely assess and diagnose certain diseases, including cancer and heart disease, through highly detailed 3D imaging. The very first scan on the newest VG StarGuide was a cardiac scan for a patient undergoing chemotherapy!

"We are very excited to have a second StarGuide installed," says Natasha Warwick, a registered technologist in nuclear medicine and the manager of CT, Nuclear Medicine and PET for the QEII and Nova Scotia Health's Central Zone. "It will help us improve our workflow between the HI and VG sites so that we can book more patients."

This $6-million project is being equally funded by generous QEII Foundation donors and Scotia Health, with the QEII Foundation raising $3 million through our We Are campaign. From being first in Canada to now having two GE HealthCare StarGuides supporting patient care across the QEII, this milestone is another powerful example of how donor generosity is helping the QEII lead the way. 💜

08/18/2026

Discovering a heart murmur was the beginning of Tim Atkinson’s heart health journey with the QEII.

Not too long after having a stent inserted, Tim received a call from his healthcare team about replacing his aortic valve through a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) surgical intervention.

“It’s one of the slickest procedures that I think anybody could possibly have — almost a miracle," says Tim. "The doctor doesn’t need to open your chest to access your heart, which lowers the rest of infection there. In my case there was little pain and no issues, just fatigue. It lets you focus on healing. Having access to TAVI procedures is a game changer when it comes to heart health.”

After an additional trip to the QEII to have a defibrillator inserted, Tim now enjoys his retirement along the Lahave River on Nova Scotia's South Shore, with his wife Cheryl, and his faithful cocker spaniel.

“How lucky I am? How lucky I am to be looked after as well as I was by the QEII and staff. And I know I’ll live a little longer thanks to the QEII, the medical staff and the amazing technology we have in our healthcare system.” 💜