Partnership marked by $1 million jointly pledged by Michael J. Cooper and Dream Unlimited Corp. (“Dream”)
TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwired – July 13, 2015) – Dream Unlimited Corp. (TSX:DRM)(TSX:DRM.PR.A) –
Women’s College Hospital (WCH) and Women’s College Hospital Foundation (WCHF) today announced the launch of an unprecedented new innovation partnership with leading Canadian real estate company Dream, marked by a major donation of $1 million. The gift is jointly pledged by Dream and Michael J. Cooper, the company’s founder & CEO, to help build the Hospital of the Future – Women’s College Hospital’s state-of-the-art new home at 76 Grenville Street in Toronto.
Ed Clark, WCH Foundation honorary chair, said this is more than a generous financial donation; it’s an evolving partnership that sets a precedent for a new type of relationship between businesses and charities.
“Dream and Women’s College Hospital are embarking on a journey that I really believe can change the way corporate citizens and nonprofits work together. Through their exchange of knowledge, ideas and best practices around innovation, leadership and risk management, they are leveraging each other’s strengths to build a better future for Canadians.”
With their combined pledge of support, Michael Cooper and Dream are together bringing Women’s College Hospital towards completion of its redevelopment project, scheduled for fall 2015. The opening of the new hospital facility strengthens Women’s College Hospital’s position as a world leader in the health of women. The new hospital expands on WCH’s mandate of providing exemplary ambulatory (outpatient) care and health system solutions to solve some of the most pressing challenges facing our healthcare system.
Michael Cooper wanted to partner with Women’s College Hospital just four minutes into his first-ever tour of its nearly-complete new building.
“I was completely astounded by Women’s College Hospital’s unbelievably innovative approach to healthcare, patient care and research. This is a hospital that’s not afraid to do things differently,” said Michael Cooper. “They’re doggedly pursuing their mandate to develop new solutions for the healthcare system in Ontario and around the world, to discovering and implementing new models of treatment and patient care, to conducting research that’s saving lives globally.”
He further added: “I realized very quickly that Dream and Women’s College Hospital could learn a lot from each other when it comes to addressing the challenges facing Canadians today. Although our industries are very different, what Women’s College is doing makes a lot of business sense to me. It’s an organization that I am incredibly proud to invest in and partner with.”
Dream and WCH have so far held two joint learning seminars, inviting leaders from both organizations to speak to an audience of business, medical and community influencers about their unique approaches to creating change – and changing lives – by thinking outside the box. Most recently, Michael Cooper and WCH hosted an education session for 90 Toronto-based Dream employees to learn about health for women, innovation and leadership from the hospital’s perspective. The session featured Dr. Danielle Martin, WCH’s vice-president of medical affairs and health system solutions, and Dr. Onil Bhattacharyya, Frigon Blau Chair in family medicine research at WCH and a senior scientist at Women’s College Research Institute, one of the only hospital-based research institutes in the world focused on women’s health.
“Dream and Women’s College Hospital are building something truly extraordinary: a partnership that is not just about philanthropy, but about how we can literally work together to improve the lives of Canadians by sharing ideas and approaches that will help each of our organizations grow,” said Katherine Hay, president & CEO of Women’s College Hospital Foundation. “Known as innovation leaders within our respective industries, our new cross-sector collaboration is an inspiring example of what can be achieved by breaking down barriers and thinking differently. We are incredibly grateful to Michael Cooper and Dream for not only generously investing in our new home – a global hub of healthcare innovation – but for joining the Women’s College Hospital family as our friends and partners as we work toward a better future for Canada and Canadians together.”
ABOUT WOMEN’S COLLEGE HOSPITAL
For more than 100 years Women’s College Hospital (WCH) has been developing revolutionary advances in healthcare. Today, WCH is a world leader in the health of women and Canada’s leading, academic ambulatory hospital. A champion of equitable access, WCH advocates for the health of all women from diverse cultures and backgrounds and ensures their needs are reflected in the care they receive. It focuses on delivering innovative solutions that address Canada’s most pressing issues related to population health, patient experience and system costs. The WCH Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (WIHV) is developing new, scalable models of care that deliver improved outcomes for patients and sustainable solutions for the health system as a whole.
ABOUT WOMEN’S COLLEGE HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
Women’s College Hospital Foundation (WCHF) is dedicated to supporting WCH as it revolutionizes healthcare for women. Working together with patients, family members, staff, physicians, volunteers, community members and corporations, WCHF raises, manages and invests funds to support the Hospital’s current and future priority needs. WCHF donors contribute generously to help build the new WCH, advance research and support innovative programs that address the unique needs of women and their families.
ABOUT DREAM UNLIMITED CORP.
Dream (TSX:DRM)(TSX:DRM.PR.A) is an award-winning Canadian real estate company with approximately $15 billion of assets under management in North America and Europe. Established in 1994, Dream’s scope of business includes residential land development, housing and condominium development, asset management and management services for four TSX-listed funds, investments in and management of Canadian renewable energy infrastructure and commercial property ownership.
Executive Director, Community Engagement & Marketing
Women’s College Hospital Foundation
416-813-4728 / 647-628-2702 (cellular)
megan.tregunno@wchospital.ca
www.wchf.ca
Mariane St-Maurice
Manager, Community and Internal Communications
Dream Unlimited Corp.
416-365-6579 / 416-275-4159 (cellular)
mstmaurice@dream.ca
www.dream.ca