KGH Foundation’s Closer to Home Than You Think Campaign Raises $45.4 Million for Health Care
KELOWNA, BC, Oct. 1, 2026 – What began as the most ambitious fundraising campaign in KGH Foundation history has ended with an extraordinary show of generosity from across the Southern Interior. The KGH Foundation announced today that it’s Closer to Home Than You Think campaign is complete, raising $45,432,601 for health care, exceeding its original $40 million goal by more than $5 million.
Launched four years ago, the comprehensive campaign was designed to address the region’s most pressing health care needs by directing philanthropic investment toward the people, technology, programs, and innovative strategies shaping the future of health care. Guided by KGH physicians, administrators and clinicians; community health care leaders and people with lived experience, the KGH Foundation identified the areas of greatest need where donor funding could have the greatest impact.
“What our community has accomplished through this campaign goes far beyond exceeding an ambitious fundraising goal,” says Allison Young, CEO of the KGH Foundation. “Thousands of people chose to invest in a shared vision for better health care here in the Interior, and the result is an impact that will be felt by hundreds of thousands of patients, families and health care professionals for years to come.”
From the outset, the Foundation committed to a nimble approach that allowed donor funds to be put to work as they were raised. As the campaign closes, its impact is already being felt.
“At KGH, we are seeing the results of this campaign in real time,” says Dr. Geoff Sanz, Emergency Physician and Head of KGH’s Emergency Department. “Patients are accessing new diagnostic and surgical capabilities, emergency care is being strengthened, and clinicians are building new skills that directly influence the care they provide. These are meaningful changes happening inside this hospital today, and they are having a direct impact on patients and families across the region.”
That impact can be seen across a range of major health care initiatives including 3T MRI technology and robot-assisted surgery at KGH; the launch of the Gynecologic Oncology Surgical Program; improvements to emergency care; and extensive education, training and upskilling opportunities for clinicians.
Those investments are helping expand what is possible for interior patients without requiring them to travel for highly specialized care.
“We are now matching the capabilities of leading urban centres in many areas of care at KGH” says Dr. Dimitrios Coutsinos, KGH Head of Robotics and Robotic and Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgeon. “KGH is home to exceptional people, and when they are supported with advanced technology, specialized training, and opportunities to innovate, they can achieve incredible things for patients. This is the power of combining talent with donor support. We simply could not do this without the generosity of the KGH Foundation donors.”
Nearly one third of the overall $40 million was dedicated to funding innovation, reflecting a commitment to not only solving immediate problems but building a more sustainable system. Investments include the development of research awards, opening of the Jim Pattison Centre for Health Systems Learning + Innovation, and the launch of a Body Donor Program, among other initiatives.
“Innovation in health care isn’t simply about having the newest technology; it’s about finding better ways to meet the needs of patients and teams and making those advancements available where they matter most,” says Dr. Deanne Taylor, CEO of the Jim Pattison Centre for Health Systems Learning + Innovation at KGH. “For people living across the Interior, these investments are helping build a stronger, more advanced health system right here at home.”
The campaign also directed funding to community-based and preventative care and initiatives designed to reach people earlier thereby reducing pressure on acute care. From mental health convening sessions that brought community organizations together, to an Integrated Health Outreach Team (IHOT) mobile clinic van, and investment in a new Foundry location on the Westside, these efforts are helping more people access support outside the hospital.
“Our partnership with the KGH Foundation recognizes that health care is something that happens throughout our community, not just inside the hospital,” shares Mike Gawliuk, CEO of CMHA Kelowna & District, the organization responsible for opening and operating Foundry Kelowna and Foundry Westside. “This kind of collaboration is incredibly important as we think about building a stronger and more connected system of care for the future.”
“More than $45 million is an extraordinary expression of confidence in what is possible when a community comes together around health care. We are deeply grateful to every donor, partner, clinician and supporter who helped make this possible. This campaign has changed what can be delivered here, accelerated what comes next, and strengthened the future of care for our entire region,” adds Young.
Learn more about the projects made possible through Closer to Home Than You Think at www.kghfoundation.com/closer-to-home-projects.
Since 1978, the KGH Foundation has worked with a generous community to raise funds to support world-class healthcare close to home for a growing and diverse population in the interior of B.C. Today, the KGH Foundation is the lead fundraising organization for Kelowna General Hospital, JoeAnna’s House, and Central Okanagan Hospice House, while also fundraising for vital community health care programs
Media Contact:
Jessie Billey
Marketing & Communications Manager
KGH Foundation
T | 250-862-4300 x 27270
E | jessie.billey@interiorhealth.ca
