Gifts of securities, like Tom and Bridget Brennan’s gift of stock, is fueling innovative technology through the QEII, like transportable MRI units that can travel throughout the province.
For Tom and Bridget Brennan, giving back is personal. It’s also strategic, heartfelt and driven by a belief that innovation is integral to the quality of health care in our community.
Tom and Bridget, long-time supporters of the QEII Foundation, have deepened their commitment to advancing health care in Nova Scotia through a recent gift of securities.
Their gift will support two cutting-edge QEII initiatives – transportable MRI units and Canada’s first StarGuide Hybrid SPECT/CT scanner, the latest in nuclear medicine technology.
While Tom and Bridget are both originally from New Brunswick, work took the couple across North America for many years. “We’ve moved from Toronto to Atlanta, Georgia, to Calgary and then to Halifax,” Tom explains. They settled in Halifax to be close enough to drive to visit their parents, who were still living in New Brunswick at the time.
“We also do just love Nova Scotia,” Bridget says, explaining why they chose this province to settle in.
Tom and Bridget have firsthand experience receiving life-changing health care at the QEII Health Sciences Centre.
Five years ago, Tom underwent robot-assisted surgery for his cancer with the QEII’s Urology team and the da Vinci X surgical robot.
Tom was impressed by the technology, and the couple donated towards keeping the robot at the QEII, an initiative the QEII Foundation was still actively fundraising for.
Later, Bridget faced a health scare that required a week-long stay at the QEII.
Regarding the care they received, Tom and Bridget describe it as nothing short of incredible.
"The care was excellent. We are lucky to have such a great hospital in our city,” Bridget shares.
Tom explains why they chose to donate gifts of securities instead of giving a direct amount by selling their investments and donating the proceeds.
“When donating investment securities, one can leverage the amount of that gift to be worth much more to the charity itself,” he says.
Tom and Bridget chose to support the QEII Foundation with a gift of stock. By transferring appreciated stocks directly to their charity of choice, donors can avoid capital gains tax and receive a tax receipt for the full market value, maximizing the impact of their contribution.
Tom and Bridget’s recent gift of stock supports the funding of two transportable MRI units in Nova Scotia. While our province has done great things to help make MRI scans more accessible, two new transportable units will help increase scanning capacity and bring critical diagnostic services to communities with the greatest need.
Located outside of hospital walls, these transportable units are an outside-of-the-box solution that will ensure that more Nova Scotians receive timely diagnoses, leading to better health outcomes.
The first relocatable MRI is already operational outside the Bayers Lake Community Outpatient Centre, with a mobile MRI unit that can travel across the province set to arrive in Nova Scotia later in 2025.
Tom and Bridget's gift also supports the QEII’s acquisition of the StarGuide Hybrid SPECT/CT scanner, a first in Canada.
This advanced nuclear medicine technology enhances the precision of diagnosing and treating diseases like cancer and heart disease. With improved imaging capabilities, the QEII can offer more accurate diagnoses and tailored treatment plans, benefiting approximately 4,000 patients a year.
Bridget expresses that she and Tom felt motivated to support these causes because they are highly innovative, finding solutions to current obstacles in health care.
“Innovation is important. The QEII is trying to be at the forefront of these areas. If our money can help that, it’s a good way to give your charity dollars,” she says.
From Tom’s perspective, the QEII is integral to our region. He feels it’s important to support the care provided through Atlantic Canada’s largest and most specialized hospital.
“Recognizing the role that the QEII has in providing health care to our region, it just seems right to give back,” he says.
