Hi friend,
St. Joseph’s Health Centre, a community academic hospital serving Toronto’s west end and beyond, began with a courageous decision that still speaks to us today: sometimes, the best way to protect what matters is to transform it.
In 1921, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto faced a difficult moment.
Their Sacred Heart Orphanage sat on land that municipal developers hoped to expropriate with the government's help.
Hospitals were protected from expropriation, so the Sisters asked themselves a bold question: what if they reimagined the orphanage entirely?
Rather than retreating, they took action that changed the history of Toronto’s west end.
They converted one wing of the building into a 25-bed hospital staffed by one doctor, several orderlies and nurses, and the Sisters themselves.
That same year, they welcomed their very first patient, Mr. Cornelius Murphy, marking the beginning of a century-long commitment to caring for the community.
Recognizing the growing need for skilled caregivers, the Sisters also founded the St. Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1921 in what is now the Sunnyside building.
Just three years later, the first class of six nurses graduated and stepped into a region that depended heavily on their service.
At the time, St. Joseph’s was the only hospital between Bathurst Street and Hamilton.
The demand for care was so significant that by 1925 the hospital expanded into a 112-bed facility.
This expansion reflected its deepening connection to the lives of west-end families.
The hospital continued to evolve to meet the needs of the community.
In 1980, it merged with Our Lady of Mercy Hospital to form St. Joseph’s Health Centre, which strengthened patient care and expanded services.
Another milestone came in 2017, when St. Joseph’s joined St. Michael’s Hospital and Providence Healthcare to create Unity Health Toronto, a network focused on delivering the best care experiences created together.
Among the many personal stories linked to St. Joseph’s, one stands out for its lasting impact.
Peter Gilgan, who was born at St. Joe’s along with his six siblings, has long credited his early years in the west end as fundamental to his life.
In 2017, he honored that connection through a $10 million gift to the hospital’s Promise Campaign.
This year, he made history at St. Joe’s with a $60 million contribution, the largest donation the hospital has ever received, to help build a new, modern St. Joseph’s.
This transformation is also supported by the Ontario government, which is investing more than $1 billion to redevelop and expand the Health Centre, including the construction of a new state-of-the-art patient care tower.
Today, St. Joseph’s is a community teaching hospital with more than 400 beds and an affiliation with the University of Toronto.
It serves nearly half a million people each year and continues to balance caring for those most in need with providing specialized services that strengthen the entire west end.
All of this traces back to a single turning point.
The Sisters believed the west end deserved compassionate, reliable care, and they were willing to reshape their institution to protect and serve the community.
Their boldness reminds us that transformation is often a deeper form of preservation.
A life lesson we can reflect on today is to protect what matters by allowing it to evolve into something stronger.
Three ways to apply this lesson in daily life:
- Reflect on an area of your life where a thoughtful change could create long-term strength or stability.
- When faced with pressure, consider how reimagining your approach, rather than resisting, might open new opportunities.
- Look for ways to turn your personal history into service for others, just as Peter Gilgan did.
Thank you for being part of this community of people who learn, reflect, and grow together every week.
Until next time,
Alex Rășcanu
P.S. If you'd like to read the past life lessons-focused e-newsletters, you can find them here.
P.P.S. On top of the monthly #ExperienceTO historical tours, we can now stay in touch via the virtual #LeadershipBookClub as well.
