Islanders Come Together to Raise $1,124,541 for Critical Healthcare Priorities During QEH Big Day of Giving
MAY 21, 2026
CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Islanders once again demonstrated extraordinary generosity during the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) Foundation’s Big Day of Giving on May 20, contributing an impressive $1,124,541 to support urgently needed medical equipment and clinical priorities at the province’s largest hospital.
This year, the QEH identified more than $8.2 million in critical needs. Funds raised through the Big Day of Giving will help strengthen care across several key areas, including the NICU, Pediatrics, Physical Medicine, Neurology, Respiratory Therapy, and the Ophthalmology Clinic. These investments ensure healthcare teams have the tools required to continue providing high‑quality care close to home.
“Islanders continue to amaze us with their compassion and commitment,” says Tracey Comeau, CEO of the QEH Foundation. “The funds raised through the Big Day of Giving will make a meaningful difference across many departments, helping ensure QEH care teams have the equipment needed deliver the best possible care to patients and families across the province.”
Throughout the day, Ocean 100 and HOT 105.5 broadcast live from the QEH lobby, sharing heartfelt stories from patients, staff, donors, and families connected to the hospital. Videos, interviews, and campaign updates were also shared on the Foundation’s website and social media channels, helping Islanders across the province see the impact of their generosity.
The QEH Foundation extends sincere thanks to all donors, volunteers, hospital staff, and media partners for making the 2026 Big Day of Giving a tremendous success.
To learn more about the Big Day of Giving, visit www.qehbigday.ca or call 902‑894‑2425.
Media Contact:
Erin MacDonald
Director, Communications
QEH Foundation
Email: erinmacdonald@ihis.org
Phone: (902) 894-2956
QEH Auxiliary funds $100,000 in pediatric equipment ahead of Big Day of Giving
MAY 15, 2026
CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Auxiliary has made a $100,000 gift to the QEH Foundation to support two priority pediatric needs ahead of the QEH Foundation’s Big Day of Giving.
The gift will fund the replacement of all eight pediatric cribs and mattresses on Unit 5, improving safety for young patients and reducing the risk of staff injury during care. It will also provide updated equipment for the Pediatric Rehabilitation team, including mobility and balance tools, fine‑motor development kits, adaptive seating, pediatric‑sized mats and wedges, and sensory‑regulation supports to enhance therapy for children with developmental, neurological and motor challenges.
Tracey Comeau, CEO of the QEH Foundation, said the Auxiliary’s support reflects a long tradition of strengthening care for Island families.
“The QEH Auxiliary has been a steady and generous partner for generations of patients and care teams,” Comeau said. “Their leadership ensures Islanders have access to safe, modern equipment and that our clinicians have the tools they need to deliver the best possible care.”
Over the past 40 years, the Auxiliary has given more than $6.4 million to the QEH Foundation, supporting nearly every area of the hospital.
This year, the QEH has identified more than $8.2 million in critical equipment and clinical priorities. Funds raised through the Big Day of Giving will help healthcare teams access the tools required to continue providing care close to home.
Islanders will come together on May 20 for the Big Day of Giving. Throughout the day, Ocean 100 and HOT 105.5 will share stories from patients, staff, donors and families connected to the QEH. Videos, interviews and campaign updates will also be available on the Foundation’s website and social media channels.
To learn more about the Big Day of Giving visit www.qehbigday.ca.
Media Contact:
Erin MacDonald
Director, Communications
QEH Foundation
Email: erinmacdonald@ihis.org
Phone: (902) 894-2956
Friends for Life Campaign Supports Critical Care at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital
MARCH 19, 2026
Charlottetown, PE — The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation is celebrating the successful wrap-up of this year’s Friends for Life campaign, raising $3.45 million to support essential medical equipment and clinical priorities across three critical areas of care: the Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, and Mental Health and Addictions Care.
Thanks to the generosity of donors, this year’s campaign is funding a number of priority equipment needs within these three critical care areas. Highlights include a new ultrasound machine in the Intensive Care Unit that enhances rapid bedside diagnostics for stroke, cardiac, and other urgent conditions, a new universal procedure chair for the Emergency Department to support safe, efficient, and flexible patient care, and new equipment for Mental Health and Addictions Care to assist with patient monitoring and assessments.
A new feature of this year’s campaign was Kitchen Party for Care, a virtual celebration that invited Islanders to share music, dance, and joy online in support of the QEH. For every video posted using the hashtag #KitchenPartyForCare, Markan Group of Companies donated $100, and with over 60 videos submitted, they generously topped up their donation to $10,000. The initiative offered a fun and meaningful way for Islanders to get involved while helping raise funds for priority needs at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
“Donor support plays a vital role in ensuring the QEH has the equipment and related technology needed as part of delivering quality care,” said Tracey Comeau, QEH Foundation CEO. “Every dollar combined helps put essential tools into the hands of healthcare teams, and we are deeply grateful to everyone who made this year’s campaign a success.”
The Friends for Life campaign is part of the QEH Foundation’s year-round commitment to raising funds for urgent medical equipment and clinical priority needs at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. With more than $8.2 million in identified needs at QEH this year alone, donor support remains essential to ensuring the QEH is equipped for today and prepared for tomorrow.
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Media Contact
Erin MacDonald
QEH Foundation
Director, Communications
Email: erinmacdonald@ihis.org
Phone: 902-894-2956
Edward & Sandra Clark Nuclear Medicine Suite Named at Queen Elizabeth Hospital
FEBRUARY 12, 2026
Charlottetown, PEI — The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation yesterday announced the naming of the Edward & Sandra Clark Nuclear Medicine Suite, recognizing a generous gift of over $1 million that fully funded the province’s newest state-of-the-art SPECT-CT system.
Edward and Sandra Clark, long-time Island business leaders and community supporters, have a deep history with the QEH. Ed served on the QEH Foundation Board from 2008 to 2014 and played an active role in the Foundation’s Care Today for Tomorrow capital campaign, during which the Clarks made a leadership gift. Their latest investment continues a legacy of strengthening healthcare for Islanders.
“The Clarks’ generosity strengthens the Foundation’s ability to respond to the hospital’s highest priorities.” says John Scales, Chair of the QEH Foundation. “Their continuing commitment ensures we can continue delivering essential equipment that supports world-class care right here on PEI.”
The new system replaces a 14-year-old scanner that has reached the end of its service life. The upgraded technology provides sharper images, greater reliability, and more efficient exams, supporting more than 1,700 Islanders each year. With quicker scan times it is anticipated that more patients can be served per year.
“This new SPECT-CT is essential for diagnosing and guiding treatment for serious health conditions, and its arrival ensures Islanders can continue to receive this quality care close to home,” said Julie Sinclair, Provincial Director of Diagnostic Imaging. “Patients and our healthcare team will benefit greatly from this extraordinary investment.”
Ed and Sandra Clark attended the recognition announcement, underscoring their long-standing commitment to the QEH. Their support over the years has played an important role in advancing care for Island families who rely on the hospital.
The QEH Foundation and nuclear medicine team expressed its deep appreciation to the Clarks for their continued commitment to strengthening healthcare in Prince Edward Island. Their generosity ensures QEH healthcare teams have advanced diagnostic imaging today and for years to come.
Media Contact
Erin MacDonald
QEH Foundation
Director, Communications
Email: erinmacdonald@ihis.org
Phone: 902-894-2956
QEH Foundation Celebrates Future Support at Annual Legacy Society Tea
SEPTEMBER 29, 2025
New Glasgow, P.E.I. – The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) Foundation welcomed members of its Legacy Society on September 18 at the annual Legacy Society Tea, held at the Prince Edward Island Preserve Company.
The event, attended by Their Honours, the Honourable Lieutenant Governor Dr. Wassim Salamoun and Her Honour Marie Salamoun-Dunne, celebrated Islanders who have chosen to leave a lasting mark on healthcare by including the QEH Foundation in their estate plans.
Guests enjoyed a fireside chat with Dr. Derek Chaudhary, nephrologist and medical advisor for the PEI Renal Program, who highlighted the impact of donor support on advancements in dialysis treatment and patient care.
In 2024-25, the QEH Foundation proudly welcomed 12 new Legacy Society members. During the event, exclusive Legacy Society lapel pins were presented by His Honour to new members in attendance, signifying their generous future contributions to the Foundation.
“Legacy Society members are a remarkable group of donors who have made a very personal decision to support the QEH through a planned gift,” said Tracey Comeau, CEO of the QEH Foundation. “Thanks to their generosity, Islanders will continue to benefit from exceptional healthcare now and into the future.”
The QEH Foundation extends heartfelt gratitude to all Legacy Society members, past and present, for their vision and generosity. Their commitment ensures the Foundation can continue supporting advancements in healthcare for future generations of Islanders.
To learn more about leaving a legacy gift, please contact the QEH Foundation at 902-894-2425 or visit https://qehfoundation.pe.ca/ways-to-give/plan-a-legacy/.
Media Contact:
Erin MacDonald
Director, Communications
QEH Foundation
erinmacdonald@ihis.org
Community funds CT Scanner for the QEH Emergency Department
January 29, 2024
CHARLOTTETOWN – In the fall of 2023, the QEH Foundation announced a campaign to fund a CT scanner for the QEH emergency department. Following an enthusiastic response from donors, the full $1.3 million cost has been raised in a matter of months. Emergency physician Dr. Nicole Green said it is heartwarming to see the community coming together to advance emergency care at the QEH.
“On behalf of all staff here at the emergency department, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all QEH Foundation donors,” says Dr. Green. “You are who make this possible. This equipment will both make our jobs easier and our patient care safer for years to come.” The CT scanner is used for the diagnosis of critical illness, injuries and trauma, and to assess the extent and severity of a condition. The procurement process for the new CT scanner has begun and it is set to arrive at the QEH later this year.
Foundation Board Chair John Gaudet says donor support is more than just money for new equipment, it is a message to patients and staff that the Island community is behind them. “We’ve received donations from across PEI and beyond,” says Gaudet. “From large gifts to our youngest donors giving their birthday money. We are proud to work with such kind individuals who want to make a difference in health care.”
The QEH Foundation’s Friends for Life campaign continues, raising funds for other priority medical equipment needs throughout the hospital. To donate, click here
For more information:
Kathleen Murphy
Director, Communications
QEH Foundation
kxmurphy@ihis.org
902-894-2956
Campaign to Bring CT Scanner to QEH Emergency Department
NOVEMBER 30, 2023
CHARLOTTETOWN – Transporting a patient from the QEH emergency department to the CT scanner involves three hallways, many corners and several doorways. This long but necessary journey for imaging takes critically ill patients far from the hospital’s well-resourced trauma room. The CT scanner is used for the diagnosis of critical illness, injuries and trauma, and to assess the extent or severity of a condition. Physicians and staff desperately want a CT scanner within the emergency department, and many Islanders are determined to fund it for them.
QEH emergency physician Dr. Nicole Green says it is enormously stressful for nurses and physicians who accompany unstable patients to the CT scanner, knowing they are leaving the safety of the emergency department and its equipment behind. Having a scanner within the department would not only improve patient safety, but it would also improve working conditions for staff of the emergency department.
“Isolation from the resources of our trauma room significantly increases the risk to patient health,” says Dr. Green. “I can’t describe the feeling of sending your patient for a scan and then hearing an overhead announcement for a code blue in the CT scanner.”
Having a dedicated CT scanner in the emergency department will also allow more rapid access to essential brain imaging for stroke patients, as time is crucial in stroke treatment.
Grateful patient Michelle Hughes is a wife, mother, and terminal cancer thriver who has leant her support to the campaign. She was diagnosed with an ultra-rare terminal cancer in 2021 after being rushed for a CT scan from the emergency department.
“That CT was the first step to a diagnosis,” said Hughes. “It also started my journey to just live; seeing and creating joy in the often overlooked. One of my joys in life is helping others and right now, Islanders need our help in a big way.”
The majority of medical equipment at the QEH is funded by donations. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital has launched its annual Friends for Life campaign to raise funds for the many medical equipment needs of the QEH, including the CT scanner for the emergency department.
The cost for a CT scanner is $1.3 million, funds that cannot be raised without many kind people coming together to make it a reality.
The QEH Auxiliary has kicked off the campaign with a leadership gift of $100,000. The Auxiliary is a volunteer organization whose main sources of income are three shops located in the lobby of the QEH: Lillibet’s Gift Shop, Royal Pantry Eatery, and Auxiliary Coffee.
To donate to the QEH Foundation’s Friends for Life Campaign, please call the Foundation office at 902-894-2425, go online to www.qehfoundation.pe.ca or mail a cheque to the QEH Foundation, PO Box 6600, Charlottetown, PE C1A 8T5.
For more information:
Kathleen Murphy
Director, Communications
QEH Foundation
kxmurphy@ihis.org
902-894-2956
QEH Foundation Gala Auction raises $363,435
NOVEMBER 18, 2023
CHARLOTTETOWN – Applause filled the ballroom of the Delta Prince Edward on Saturday night as the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) Foundation held its annual Yuletide Gala Auction. The event raised $363,435 to fund medical equipment needs at the QEH, and the celebrations didn’t stop there.
Presenting sponsor Cavendish Farms has signed on as presenting sponsorship for the event for two more years. This is an incredible commitment to Island health care from a longtime supporter of the QEH Foundation.
The live auction fun was complemented by a special celebration with grateful patient Michelle Hughes who took to the stage to thank members of the QEH health care team who had impacted her life as a proud mother living with ultra-rare stage-four terminal cancer. With members of her health care team in the room, Michelle asked each to stand and be celebrated by more the more than 250 guests in attendance.
“Through my many visits to the QEH, and on my journey to a diagnosis, I’ve received countless tests. You name it, I’ve had it,” said Michelle. “I know that medical equipment at our hospital is there because of kind people like you. Thank you for making a difference in health care in PEI and for being a part of this evening with me.”
John Gaudet, QEH Foundation Board Chair, says events like the Yuletide Gala are not just fundraisers, they’re reminders of the power of community and the care that Islanders feel for one another.
“The donors, sponsors, and attendees here tonight have funded an infant simulator, a pediatric wheelchair, and so much more,” says Gaudet. “Every donation tonight will advance the health of our community, and that is something to celebrate.”
The QEH Foundation gratefully acknowledges the heartfelt community effort that went into making this memorable evening a success.
For more information:
Kathleen Murphy
Director, Communications
QEH Foundation
kxmurphy@ihis.org
902-894-2956
2023 Holiday Gift Guide
Celebrate the season of giving with a gift that gives back! Gifts of all sizes from our kind and caring community help ensure Islanders receive the best health care possible, closer to home. This year, we’ve compiled a list of meaningful gifts that will not only bring joy to your loved ones but also help make a positive impact in the lives of Islanders.
Check out our Holiday Gift Guide below! For even more ways to give, you can visit https://qehfoundation.pe.ca/ways-to-give/
1. Honour a loved one or a health care hero.
In lieu of a physical gift, make a donation in honour of someone who has made a difference in your life, whether it be a family member, a friend, a leader in your community, or even a health care hero who has helped care for you at the QEH. Simply include their name and contact details as well as a personalized message (optional) when you make a donation and we will mail them a card letting them know of your caring gift.
2. Find the perfect gift at Lillibet’s
From trendy clothing to home decor, Lillibet’s has a ton of gift options for the special people in your life. Lillibet’s Gift Shop is located in the QEH lobby and proceeds from any purchase is donated to the QEH through the QEH Auxiliary.
3. Purchase a Gift Card from the Auxiliary Coffee Shop
Looking for something to gift the QEH staff member in your life? A gift card to the Auxiliary Coffee Shop for morning coffees and much needed pick-me-ups. Proceeds from the coffee shop are donated to the QEH through the QEH Auxiliary.
4. Support a community fundraiser
Support local by supporting a community fundraiser this December. Gift a Poinsettia from Van Kampen’s or a Christmas Angel from Norton’s Jewellers, purchase tickets for you and a friend to an Island Jubilee Show, or take the family for hot chocolate and a holiday light show at Cow’s Creamery. Check out our QEH Foundation Community Facebook page for all the fundraisers currently taking place!
5. Gifts for a Year
Just like a subscription, you can give the special gift of monthly donations for a whole year on behalf of a loved one. Monthly giving is a wonderful way to support the QEH Foundation! It is also a convenient way to spread your donation into manageable amounts over one or more years, ending in a significant contribution. Visit our Monthly Giving page to learn more!
6. Donate to our Annual Friends for Life Campaign
Every year, our Annual Friends for Life Campaign focuses on raising funds to purchase priority medical equipment to assist the QEH family in providing the best health care possible. Support from the community enables us to purchase life-saving, up-to-date medical equipment and technology to care for all Islanders in times of need. This year’s campaign is raising funds for a dedicated CT scanner in the emergency department. At an estimated cost of $1.3 million, this new CT scanner will be an incredible gift for patients and health care staff in the QEH.