Loretta Anne Rogers passed away at age 83 on June 11, after a lifetime of transformative generosity to healthcare, education and social services.
"We will always be grateful for Loretta's leadership, generosity and warmth," said UHN Foundation CEO Tennys Hanson. "She was a huge supporter of UHN and she was a champion of front-line staff.
"Her passing has left a huge void in the UHN family and for many Canadians."
Since 2005, Loretta served on the UHN Foundation Board of Directors. As a UHN donor, her giving was vital to UHN's vision of achieving global impact.
Loretta was a passionate supporter of the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, the Ajmera Transplant Centre, the Schroeder Arthritis Institute, as well as UHN's Mental Health Program and the Critical Care Facilities at Toronto Western Hospital. She also was one of the first donors to come forward to fund personal protection equipment (PPE) for TeamUHN at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
One of her enduring passion projects was the transformation of the Critical Care Unit at Toronto Western. Loretta believed that an upgrade of the facilities would improve the experience for patients, their families and caregivers, as well as for staff delivering care.
In 2014, Loretta and her family made an unprecedented $130-million donation to establish the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, a creation of UHN, University of Toronto and SickKids. The donation, the largest in Canadian healthcare history at the time, was the latest in a long line of generous acts on behalf of Loretta and her family to benefit UHN.
When announcing the donation, Loretta shared that her late husband's long battle with heart failure cemented the family's close relationship with UHN.
"Ted believed in progress and in innovation and knew that raising money for heart research was essential," Loretta said.
Over the years, Loretta became a tremendous advocate and champion of Dr. Heather Ross who is the Division Head of Cardiology at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre and holds the Loretta A. Rogers Heart Function Chair. She is also the UHN Site Lead for the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research.
"Loretta was truly a class act and an amazing supporter," said Dr. Ross.
Preferring to stay out of the spotlight, Loretta had a fascinating life. She was the daughter of a British MP who would later serve as Governor of Bermuda. She and Ted Rogers were married at Westminster Abbey, London. They had four children: Lisa, Edward, Melinda and Martha. Outside the public realm, Loretta was a talented painter whose work was featured in children's books alongside the art of famed wildlife painter Robert Bateman and others.
Loretta A. Rogers: A Timeline of Support to UHN
2000: Loretta and Ted Rogers become honorary co-chairs of UHN's first major fundraising campaign "Together We Make Life Better."
2001: Loretta and Ted Rogers establish the Loretta A. Rogers Chair in Eating Disorders at UHN, the first of its kind in the world.
2007: Loretta launches a campaign to renovate the critical care facilities at Toronto Western Hospital. Ted Rogers pledges $5 million to name the centre in her honour.
2008: The Loretta Anne Rogers Critical Care Centre opens.
2009: In Ted Rogers' memory, the family creates the Ted Rogers and Family Chair in Heart Function with a $3.5 million donation.
2012: Loretta Rogers and her family make a $5-million donation to create the Ted Rogers Centre of Excellence in Heart Function. This created to create one of the world's leading research and educational programs in heart failure, funding 36 fellows to date.
2013: Loretta makes the lead gift to establish the Dr. J. Bernard Gosevitz Chair in Arthritis Research, held by Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Raj Rampersaud.
2014: Loretta and her family make an unprecedented $130-million donation to establish the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, a creation of UHN, University of Toronto and SickKids. The donation, the largest in Canadian health-care history, was the latest in a long line of generous acts on behalf of Loretta and her family to benefit UHN.
2017: Loretta makes a $5-million donation to establish the Loretta A. Rogers Heart Function Chair, held by Dr. Heather Ross.
