Sinai Health receives $2.5 million gift to bring neonatal expertise to the world
TORONTO, May 27, 2022 /CNW/ - Sinai Health is celebrating a $2.5 million gift that will bring its world-leading women's and infants program to communities across India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka through the launch of a new fellowship program.
The $2.5 million gift from the Moez & Marissa Kassam Foundation will see the creation of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, to be named the Moez and Marissa Kassam Fellowship Program in honour of their generous contribution.
The Moez and Marissa Kassam Fellows will be selected for an opportunity to learn from world-leading experts in the Frances Bloomberg Centre for Women's and Infants' Health at Sinai Health. The goal is to have these trainees take their expertise back to their home countries to strengthen neonatal services in their communities.
"We are excited for the Moez and Marissa Kassam Fellows to foster greater cultural awareness across Sinai Health and look forward to the benefits that will be realized here in Canada and South Asia," said Marissa Kassam. "Moez's mother was a professor, so he grew up with a great appreciation for the role education plays in building a healthy society."
The Kassams have a deep connection to Sinai Health, with two of their children being delivered at Mount Sinai Hospital. Their fourth child, expected in summer 2022, will be a Sinai Health baby as well. The couple said the partnership with Sinai Health aligns perfectly with their own interest in capacity building in South Asian countries and Sinai Health's strong commitment to diversity in health care.
"We are so lucky to live in Canada and have the health-care system we do," said Moez Kassam. "It's the backbone of our society, something that was underlined for us during this most recent pandemic, and we need to make sure our hospitals and our health-care professionals have the support they need to maintain this wonderful national treasure."
Sinai Health's combined care Level 2 and Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) provides care for babies after birth who need special attention and who continue to require specialized services. Sinai Health houses one of the largest Neonatal Intensive Care Units in the country, with its staff helping care for a portion of the 7,000 babies born at Mount Sinai Hospital each year. Its renowned high-risk pregnancy program treats some of the most complicated pregnancies in Canada.
"Sinai Health is committed to providing compassionate, ground-breaking care to our community and our Frances Bloomberg Centre for Women's and Infants' Health is second to none," said Louis de Melo, CEO of Sinai Health Foundation. "This generous gift from Moez and Marissa Kassam shows their unwavering commitment towards supporting diverse communities, while addressing the symptoms of inequality and exclusion through education."
Sinai Health Foundation takes the vision of Sinai Health's physicians, clinicians, scientists, and health-care providers and helps turn it into a reality. Philanthropy is essential for advancing research, care, and outcomes for those facing cancer, a high-risk pregnancy, stroke recovery, and other conditions and diseases. Thanks to philanthropy, SHF helps fund world-class facilities and offers patients access to some of the most impactful clinical trials and studies that have taken place over the past 30 years. www.sinaicares.ca
SOURCE Sinai Health Foundation
Amanda Ferguson, Manager, Public Relations, Sinai Health Foundation, 647.248.7434, [email protected]
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