Landmark Gift Sparks the Next Phase of Surgical Evolution
in Victoria Hospitals

October 16, 2025 –  The Victoria Hospitals Foundation (VHF) is taking a bold leap forward and has announced a transformational new campaign—It’s Time for Surgical Evolution—a $21 million initiative that will expand the Island’s first surgical robotics program and revolutionize cancer care at Royal Jubilee (RJH) and Victoria General (VGH) hospitals, the Island’s two referral and acute centres.

This next era of innovation is being powerfully launched by the largest gift in the Foundation’s 36-year history: a transformational $7.5 million donation from a local philanthropist who deeply believes in the power that philanthropy brings to communities.

This extraordinary generosity ignites the campaign and sets the tone for one of the most ambitious healthcare transformations ever undertaken on Vancouver Island. It will propel this vision forward—positioning RJH and VGH as national leaders in minimally invasive surgeries, and advancing robotics, neurosurgery, and cancer care for the Island community.

“This gift is a profound gift to us all and came to us unrestricted in nature. Because of this, we were able to redefine what this next phase of our campaign could undertake and boldly go much bigger than expected, bringing two surgical robotic suites to VGH and over 60 pieces of innovative oncology equipment to our hospitals that will greatly support patient care,” says Avery Brohman, CEO of the Victoria Hospitals Foundation. “This gift has empowered us to complete the first phase of It’s Time for Surgical Innovation and to launch this next one from a place of strength, confidence, and conviction. It gave us the freedom to think bigger—to move beyond what we first imagined—and to shape a campaign that will continue to evolve alongside the needs of Vancouver Island.”

Over the next year, It’s Time for Surgical Evolution will raise $21 million to bring robotic-assisted surgery and next-generation cancer technology to RJH and VGH. Key priorities, as identified by the leaders in care in our hospitals, include:

• The region’s second da Vinci surgical robot at VGH to expand minimally invasive care across gynecology, pediatrics, and general surgery, and increase access at RJH for ENT, thoracic, and urology. Specialized nursing teams at each site will ensure world-class care, positioning Victoria as a national leader in robotics and teaching. In women’s health, we will introduce robotic-assisted surgeries for endometrial and uterine cancers—a transformative step for some of our Island women who previously had to travel off-Island to receive this care or for whom surgery was not an option.
• The region’s first neurosurgery robot at VGH, a first for Vancouver Island and one of very few in Canada, delivering extraordinary precision in brain and spinal surgeries to improve safety and outcomes for patients with complex conditions. Robotic-assisted neurosurgery will transform care for Islanders facing complex conditions such as spinal fusions, scoliosis corrections, and brain tumour biopsies—procedures where even a single millimetre can make the difference between independence and lifelong disability. The neurosurgery robot reduces complications, lowers rates of revision operations, minimizes radiation exposure, shortens hospital stays, and allows patients to receive the best in precision care. This technology is part of a long-term vision for VGH’s nationally renowned neurosurgery department, and will support the attraction of new talent.
• A suite of 60+ precision oncology equipment our surgeons requested, ensuring local surgeons have access to the same advanced technology found in Canada’s leading hospitals. This investment is paired with system-wide enhancements—expanded operating room capacity, extended daytime hours, additional evening slates, dedicated robotic rooms, and strategic recruitment in key specialties—ensuring Islanders can access the most advanced care close to home and families alike.

It’s Time for Surgical Evolution marks the second phase of the Foundation’s focus on advancing surgical excellence at the Island’s referral centres. Phase I, It’s Time for Surgical Innovation, proved how quickly care can advance when community and leaders in care unite behind a shared vision. With donor support, VHF raised more than $17 million to launch a surgical robotics program and equip RJH and VGH with a suite of 50 advanced surgical tools. The Foundation celebrated the campaign’s completion on Thursday, October 9, 2025, achieving its ambitious goal in less than a year.

“Robotic surgery is the standard worldwide and our local surgical robotics program has already transformed care on Vancouver Island—bringing first-of-their-kind procedures to our community and western Canada, reducing complications, accelerating recoveries, and freeing up hospital capacity,” says Dr. Jeff McCracken, Chief Urologist and newly appointed Head of Robotics for RJH and VGH. “Now, with Phase II, we are evolving to expand these capabilities to VGH, strengthening the system, and giving even more patients access to world-class surgery right here at home. Together, we are making Vancouver Island a hub for surgical innovation—pioneering firsts in neurosurgery, robotics, and cancer care, putting this technology to work every day across more specialties, and transforming not just how we operate, but how our hospitals perform at their very best. It feels profound to be leading the way here, in our community hospitals.”

Since the launch of surgical robotics, the program has grown to include five new surgeons and counting. This growing cadre of physicians is crucial to expanding robotic capabilities and advancing surgical excellence on Vancouver Island.

VHF invites the community to help build on this movement.

“Together, we have proven that when this community leads, others follow. Even in challenging times—amid economic uncertainty, postal strikes, and the pressures our hospitals face every day—our community continues to step forward with generosity and vision. Now, with every gift to the campaign being matched up to
$7.5 million, generosity is doubled. That courage to give, to lead, and to believe in something bigger than ourselves is what makes this movement extraordinary. We are all better for it,” adds Brohman.

Every gift, no matter the size, adds up to something powerful and life-changing for our community.

During the rotating postal strike, curb-side cheque pick-up is available at Royal Jubilee Hospital—please call 250-519-1750 and our team will gratefully assist.