\u2018This gift strengthens our ability to deliver safe, high-quality surgical care\u2019<\/p>\n
Published Mar 12, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 6\u00a0hours ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 3 minute read<\/p>\n
![\"Surgical\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/20260312jl20650.su_.jpg\")
David McNeil, left, president and CEO of Health Sciences North, Dr. Susan Vokey, medical director of the Surgical Program at HSN, Roch Baronette, administrative director of the Surgical Program at HSN, Steve Sherrington, manager of the Media Device Reprocessing Department at HSN, and Anthony Keating, President & CEO of the Health Sciences North Foundation, were on hand for a transformative $1.041 million donation from the FDC Foundation supporting modernization of the hospital’s Medical Device Reprocessing Department (MDRD). John Lappa\/Sudbury Star\/Postmedia Network Photo by John Lappa \/Sudbury StarArticle content<\/p>\n
Health Sciences North\u2019s teams use almost 1,000 medical instruments each day. Cleaning, sterilizing and preparing surgical instruments used in operating rooms across the hospital is critically important in keeping patients safe.<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s a job that will get a bit easier thanks to a $1.041 million donation from the FDC Foundation<\/a> to modernize the hospital\u2019s Medical Device Reprocessing Department, or MDRD.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Recommended Videos<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Health Sciences North (HSN) and the HSN Foundation recognized what it called a \u201ctransformative\u201d donation from the FDC Foundation, announced on Thursday.<\/p>\n \u201cIn our department, we handle everything from heavy orthopedic drills to tiny cataract tweezers so fine you need a magnifier to inspect them,\u201d Dr. Susan Vokey, Medical Director for HSN\u2019s Surgical Program<\/a>, said in a release. \u201cOne missed detail means a set must go back and start the entire four-hour process over again.<\/p>\n \u201cOur staff often say they do this work for the patients, families, and communities we serve. This gift strengthens our ability to deliver safe, high-quality surgical care.\u201d<\/p>\n Sudbury Star Morning Briefing<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n The FDC Foundation donation will pay for a new high-capacity cart washing system and a low-temperature sterilizer, modernizing workflow, reducing manual labour, and ensuring surgical instruments are prepared to the highest safety standards. These improvements allow surgical teams to focus on patient care while keeping operating rooms on schedule, ultimately enhancing surgical capacity and patient safety, the release said.<\/p>\n \u201cMany people walk past the doors of the MDRD without realizing the incredible precision and scale of the work happening behind those walls,\u201d said Anthony Keating, president and CEO of the HSN Foundation. \u201cOur MDRD team is truly on the frontline of patient safety.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery improvement we make in this department directly supports surgical capacity and high-quality care. Philanthropy fuels high-quality healthcare, and we are deeply grateful to the FDC Foundation for this gift.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n David McNeil, president and CEO of Health Sciences North, said the donation will help patients across the region. \u201cOur MDRD team processes nearly 1,000 sets of instruments every day, with 85 per cent going directly to operating rooms. This volume drives our ability to perform safe, timely surgeries across the hospital.<\/p>\n \u201cDonor support allows HSN to advance clinical capacity faster than we could ever do on our own, helping us meet increasing surgical demand while maintaining the highest standards of care for every patient who walks through our doors.\u201d<\/p>\n The release said the FDC Foundation\u2019s donation reflects the critical role philanthropy plays in supporting hospital programs and patient care across northeastern Ontario.<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cOn behalf of the organization and the board of directors, HSN and the HSN Foundation extend their sincere thanks to the FDC Foundation for this investment, which will touch the lives of hundreds of thousands of patients in the region,\u201d the release said.<\/p>\n For more information on how to support HSN and the HSN Foundation, visit hsnfoundation.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n The FDC Foundation is a Mississauga-based private family foundation established in 2000 by Carlo Fidani, chairman of Orlando Corporation<\/a>, an industrial real estate developer and landlord. It primarily supports healthcare, education, and medical research, with a focus on improving patient care, providing student scholarships, and funding innovative health science initiatives in Ontario.<\/p>\n Among its significant donations are a $10 million matching gift in 2022 for student aid at NOSM University and funding for MRI technology, lab equipment, and mental health services.<\/p>\n In 2023, the foundation announced a gift of up to $1.3 million to NOSM University\u2019s student endowment fund to support first-year medical students.<\/p>\n