Behind the Gift: How two philanthropists transformed emergency medicine research in Canada

As members of Mount Sinai Hospital’s Board of Directors, as early as 1985 and 1987 respectively, Gerry and Heather had a unique insight into the pressures and challenges facing the Hospital – especially in the emergency department (ED). 

“We got to know a number of physicians in the emergency department and learned the largest intake into the Hospital, by quite a substantial margin, was through the ED,” says Gerry. “We saw the strain they were under and wanted to learn more about how we could help.”

Since Mount Sinai is a teaching hospital, many physicians have responsibilities at the University of Toronto to train medical students, lead research and advance other scholarly pursuits. But when Gerry and Heather started to explore the academic discipline of emergency medicine – which combines the clinical practice of emergency medicine with research and teaching – they found limited research was available.  

That’s when they realized that an investment in emergency medicine research could make a real difference, both in training the next generation of emergency experts and changing the standard of emergency care across the country.

“As we began to understand what was behind the ED and where their training came from, we saw an opportunity to do more research into the things that really affect medicine, particularly emergency medicine,” says Gerry.

Establishing Canada’s first emergency medicine research institute

In 2013, Gerry and Heather made a landmark $15-million donation to advance emergency medicine research and care at Sinai Health. Part of this gift established the Schwartz Reisman Emergency Medicine Institute (SREMI) – the first and only institute in Canada dedicated to emergency medicine research, education and health policy. 

At the helm was emergency physician Dr. Bjug Borgundvaag as SREMI’s Founding Director and clinical epidemiologist Dr. Shelley McLeod as SREMI’s Research Director. They would later be joined by clinician scientist Dr. Catherine Varner as SREMI’s Deputy Director. 

From the start, they had an ambitious plan for SREMI: to identify areas of emergency medicine that affect the greatest number of patients, but where evidence is sorely lacking. It led them to reimagine care for seniors with complex health needs, patients experiencing early pregnancy complications, patients with cancer and young people with mental health or substance use concerns. 

“We had in Bjug a true scientist committed to advancing the quality of emergency care for several different population groups,” says Heather. “With an incredible team of researchers, they have been successful in building SREMI into something of significance.”

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Based at Mount Sinai Hospital and run in partnership with North York General Hospital. SREMI exists to conduct evidence-based research, translate it into practice and revolutionize how we care for patients in the ED. 

Today, researchers at SREMI are studying loneliness in older ED patients and improving clinical pathways for patients with cancer and those experiencing early pregnancy loss. Their revolutionary Pathway to Peers Program is the first of its kind in Canada to embed peer support workers in the ED – young people with lived and living experience – supporting more than 10,000 youth navigating mental health, substance use and homelessness since its inception in 2020. EM Cases, a medical education podcast, has been downloaded by more than 25 million people worldwide, and SREMI is frequently asked to evaluate new ministry of health programs by the Province of Ontario. 

They credit much of the institute’s success to Gerry and Heather’s belief that research-backed innovation could help transform how emergency medicine is delivered.
“We are so grateful to Gerry and Heather for their ongoing support, trust and confidence – in me and all of us here at SREMI,” says Dr. Borgundvaag. “We’ve done great things over the last 12 years together, and we’re excited to see what the next decade will bring.” 

A gift to secure a bright future for emergency medicine

Just over a decade since their initial gift to form SREMI, Gerry and Heather made another leading commitment that would ensure the institute could continue its work long into the future. In 2025, The Gerald Schwartz and Heather Reisman Foundation pledged an additional $15 million, bringing their total lifetime investment in Sinai Health to more than $50 million.

“Based on SREMI’s track record of excellence, we were inspired to make a continuation gift,” say Heather and Gerry. “We wanted to make a gift that would allow the institute to make a plan for long-term growth and development.”

This renewed investment will allow SREMI to build upon its national and international leadership in innovative research and propel the institute to even greater heights. In the last year alone, members of the SREMI team have received an Order of Ontario, five research excellence awards and a top cited article for a systemic review of cancer diagnoses in the ED. They are also leading a provincial evaluation of a new ED pilot program which is looking at scheduled ED visits in select Ontario hospitals. 

Many other supporters have joined Gerry and Heather, with additional and expanded programs in mental health and substance use, and peer support for young people. Gerry and Heather hope that with this gift, they will inspire even more to donate. 

“It is important that the institute is supported by a number of people, in addition to Heather and me,” says Gerry. “We hope this gift will inspire other people to join us and make a commitment to supporting the institute.”

Sinai Health is grateful for Gerry and Heather’s steadfast support and partnership, a relationship that spans more than 40 years. Through all this time, one thing remains the same: their commitment to philanthropy and to their community.

“The opportunity to give back has always been central to us,” says Heather. “We feel it is both a responsibility and a privilege to be in a position to invest in initiatives that really make a difference.”

You can also support life-changing research and care at SREMI. Donate today by selecting “Emergency Department” from the gift designation dropdown menu.