“Every stage of my involvement with the hospital was rewarding. There were though, some moments I will never forget…. the ground-breaking ceremony when all the stakeholders put their shovels in the ground in unison and we knew that the project would get built; and then subsequently, when they dug the hole for the foundation, and we could see the scale of what would become a 1.8 million square foot facility. These were thrilling events. ” Donald Loeb

Donald and Lorraine Loeb recently made the generous decision to make Humber River Health Foundation the owner and beneficiary a life insurance policy—a creative and impactful way to leave a legacy, and a meaningful reflection of their personal connection to the hospital.

With four grown and independent children, Donald and Lorraine realized they no longer needed the security of this policy; but rather than simply giving it up, they decided that it was a better idea—from both a charitable giving and tax benefit perspective—to name Humber River Health Foundation as the owner and beneficiary of the policy.

Their reasons for choosing Humber for their generous commitment date back to 1999/2000 when Donald joined Humber River Health’s Board of Directors, subsequently accepting the role of Chair of the Board and eventually Chair of the Building Committee.

“I felt like I could make a difference at Humber,” says Donald. “And leading the board through the creation of the new Humber River Hospital [now Humber River Health]—from the key decision not to renovate but rather to seek a greenfield site and to design and build a state-of-the-art facility—through to the official opening —was a profound experience. I was fortunate to work with the hospital’s current CEO Barb Collins and her predecessor, the late Dr. Reuben Devlin, to help conceive the remarkable vision that would become Humber River Health. We were then able to realize the vision with the support and commitment of the Board and the talented and dedicated individuals on the building committee; we were highly focused on completing it on time and on budget, and we succeeded!”

“Every stage of my involvement with the hospital was rewarding,” remembers Donald. “There were though, some moments I will never forget…. the ground-breaking ceremony when all the stakeholders put their shovels in the ground in unison and we knew that the project would get built; and then subsequently, when they dug the hole for the foundation, and we could see the scale of what would become a 1.8 million square foot facility. These were thrilling events. Of course, touring the finished hospital and seeing it function as planned and understanding its impact on patient care and even enjoying the fantastic views from the top floors were heartwarming.”

Donald and Lorraine’s belief in Humber River Health made the decision to name Humber as beneficiary of a life insurance policy quite easily. Also surprisingly easy was the process of setting up this arrangement. They collaborated closely with their financial advisor and with Caterina Magisano, the Foundation’s Vice President of Development, to turn their vision into reality; Humber’s Planned Giving Advisory Committee was also available to provide support with additional wealth insurance expertise along the way.

By making a commitment to leave a legacy at Humber River Health, the Loebs have become the newest members of our Aspen Grove Society, a group of donors committed to supporting Humber through their estate planning.

The Loebs decided not to direct their donation to a specific program or area, but rather to let the hospital allocate it. “My decades of working with senior management has taught me that they have the clearest insight as to where the needs are greatest.”

“We are pleased to remain involved with Humber,” says Lorraine. “Once the hospital opened, it was rewarding to see that people were coming from all over the world to tour the first fully digital hospital in North America. Now, we are regularly hearing from people we know who are going out of their way to choose Humber not only for the hospital’s leading-edge facilities but also its reputation for compassionate care.

If inspired by Donald and Lorraine’s journey, the Humber River Health Foundation team can guide you. For a confidential discussion, please contact Caterina Magisano at 416-242-1000 Ext 81516 or cmagisano@hrh.ca.