$7.5M donation launches next phase of surgical innovation in Victoria

A record-setting donation is helping take surgical care on Vancouver Island to the next level.

The Victoria Hospitals Foundation has announced It’s Time for Surgical Evolution which is a $21-million campaign aimed at expanding the surgical robotics program and introducing new cancer-fighting technology at Royal Jubilee and Victoria General hospitals.

The campaign begins with an incredible $7.5-million donation from a local philanthropist — the largest single gift in the foundation’s 36-year history.

“This gift gave us the freedom to expand our vision,” said Avery Brohman, CEO of the Victoria Hospitals Foundation.

“It allowed us to launch the next phase of our campaign from a place of strength and confidence, and to shape something that will continue to evolve alongside the needs of Vancouver Island.”

Over the next year, the foundation hopes to raise $21 million to roll out advanced robotics and precision oncology equipment across both hospitals. Plans include:

A second da Vinci surgical robot at Victoria General Hospital to expand minimally invasive care in areas such as gynecology, pediatrics, and general surgery.

Vancouver Island’s first neurosurgery robot, offering pinpoint accuracy for complex brain and spine procedures and helping reduce complications and recovery times.

More than 60 pieces of specialized oncology equipment to give local surgeons access to the same tools used in Canada’s top hospitals.

This marks the second phase of the foundation’s push to strengthen surgical innovation on Vancouver Island. The first campaign — It’s Time for Surgical Innovation — wrapped up last week after raising over $17 million in under a year.

That effort launched Vancouver Island’s first surgical robotics program and helped equip local hospitals with 50 new pieces of advanced surgical technology.

Since then, five new surgeons have joined the program, and robotic-assisted surgeries have quickly become part of standard care at Royal Jubilee.

“Robotic surgery has already transformed how we treat patients on the Island,” said Dr. Jeff McCracken, Chief Urologist and Head of Robotics for both hospitals. “Now, with this next phase, we’re expanding those capabilities even further and giving more patients access to world-class surgery right here at home.”

Contributions can be made online at victoriahf.ca/donate, by phone at 250-519-1750, or in person at the foundation’s office on the Royal Jubilee campus.

Since its start in 1989, the Victoria Hospitals Foundation has raised over $233 million.