MUHC Foundation launches $3 million palliative care campaign

The campaign honours Dr. Balfour Mount, the renowned Eric M. Flanders Emeritus Professor of Palliative Care at McGill University and the founder of palliative care in North America.

Montreal, January 21, 2025 — The MUHC Foundation is proud to launch the Palliative Care: Embracing Life at Every Moment campaign, a $3 million, three-year initiative to revolutionize palliative care at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) while honouring Dr. Balfour Mount’s profound legacy. Inspired by Dame Cicely Saunders, the English physician credited with founding modern hospice care, Dr. Mount brought her vision to Canada. In 1974, he established the first Palliative Care Service at Montreal’s Royal Victoria Hospital—now part of the McGill University Health Centre—paving the way for Montreal’s enduring legacy of compassionate care.

The campaign launches on the same day as the inaugural Balfour Mount Grand Rounds, a new lecture series that will empower the MUHC’s health care professionals with the latest breakthroughs in palliative care research, foster national and international collaboration, and tackle the most pressing challenges in the field.

“The MUHC Foundation has worked closely with Dr. Sanders to build this campaign to support research and education efforts to transform the culture of care for people affected by serious illness, at any stage of their treatment. We’re very proud to honour Dr. Balfour Mount and his profound belief that palliative care is about more than medicine—it’s about living fully, with dignity, comfort, and compassion.”

—Marie-Hélène Laramée, President & CEO of the MUHC Foundation 

Dr. Mount recognized the importance of palliative care in the hospital and catalyzed a half-century of research that demonstrates the critical role it plays in providing the best possible care to people of any age and at any stage of serious illness. He championed the idea that relationships (including those with physicians) form the foundation of patients’ well-being and growth as their illness progresses.

Dr. Sanders hopes to continue this tradition at the MUHC by ushering in the next frontier of palliative care: a research centre that seeks to understand and strengthen relationships to promote healing for the most vulnerable patients and their families.

“We’re excited to be creating a modern identity for palliative care that honours McGill and Montreal’s existing legacy while securing a place for the MUHC in the future of this growing field. We have a multidisciplinary team of specialists who are committed to building a world where every patient’s journey is met with dignity and support.”

—Dr. Justin Sanders, Director of Palliative Care at the MUHC

The new palliative care campaign has already inspired community members into action. Paul Marchand and Lucy Riddell, both members of the MUHC Foundation’s Board of Governors, each announced a $50,000 donation to kickstart the initiative.

“It’s a privilege to help build a future where compassionate care is accessible to all—care that will help our seniors, a growing percentage of our population who, in the past, did not often receive the specialized attention from which they might benefit.”

—Paul Marchand, President, The Doggone Foundation

“This campaign reflects what palliative care is all about: embracing life, cherishing every moment, and providing hope when it’s needed most.”

—Lucy Riddell, President, R. Howard Webster Foundation

Over the next three years, the MUHC Foundation’s Palliative Care: Embracing Life at Every Moment campaign will support groundbreaking research, expand specialized training for health care providers, and enhance vital programs that bring comfort and dignity to patients and their loved ones. Together, we can build a future where every patient receives the care they deserve.

"To see the values I’ve championed in palliative care take root and grow fills me with immense pride. It’s a legacy of compassion, dignity, and humanity—one that will ensure patients and families in our community receive the care they need when it matters most."

—Dr. Balfour Mount, Founder, Palliative Care in North America

Join us in this transformative journey. Learn more and donate at: muhcfoundation.com/works/palliative-care-embracing-life-at-every-moment.