Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre has received a $10 million transformational gift from Brian Reeve and his family to expand care, research, and education for obsessive-compulsive disorder through its Frederick W. Thompson Anxiety Disorders Centre.
The Toronto-based academic hospital said the donation will accelerate the next phase of growth for the Thompson Centre, Canada’s first and only facility dedicated to research, education, and treatment for severe OCD and related disorders. Reeve, a Toronto lawyer and private equity investor, previously underwent treatment through the Centre’s intensive OCD program.
The gift will support the expansion and relocation of the Centre’s 24/7 OCD treatment unit from a community-based setting to a permanent home at Sunnybrook’s Bayview campus. The new space will be named the Reeve OCD Centre and will allow closer collaboration with Sunnybrook’s Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, while increasing bed capacity.
The expanded Centre will include a kitchen and dining facility, sleeping quarters, treatment rooms and multipurpose spaces for group therapies, exercise and social programming. Sunnybrook said the enhancements are designed to strengthen its comprehensive model of care for patients living with severe OCD and related disorders.
OCD affects an estimated 400,000 Canadians. As the country’s only centre specializing in OCD and related conditions, the Thompson Centre accepts referrals from across Canada, addressing a significant gap in research, education and patient care.
In addition to expanding treatment capacity, the gift will bolster OCD research and education initiatives. Funding will establish Reeve OCD Fellowships and an endowed OCD Chair to train the next generation of clinicians and researchers in the field.
Reeve received intensive treatment at the Thompson Centre in 2019, spending four months in the program under the care of Dr. Peggy Richter and her team. Sunnybrook said his support builds on the original vision of Frederick Thompson, whose earlier philanthropic gift established the Centre more than a decade ago.
The Centre has supported thousands of Canadians through its comprehensive care model, including nearly 400 patients treated through its intensive live-in and day program, the first and only of its kind in Canada, as well as hundreds more receiving ongoing outpatient care.
Sunnybrook, which is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, provides care to more than 1 million patients each year and is internationally recognized for its research and education programs.
KEY QUOTES
“The Reeve OCD Centre will advance Sunnybrook’s leadership in specialized OCD care, drive innovative treatments, and transform care for OCD patients and their families when it matters most.”
Dr. Andy Smith, President and CEO, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
“The care I received at Sunnybrook gave me a ‘life reset’ and the ability to maximize the enjoyment of all aspects of my life – including much better quality time with my family. I will always be grateful for the treatment I received,” says Mr. Reeve. “This gift is an expression of my gratitude, but is also an investment in OCD care and research that will hopefully pay large dividends in the future. My intent is to carry forward Frederick Thompson’s vision — and hopefully inspire others to support this work for generations to come.”
Brian Reeve, Donor And Former Patient, Frederick W. Thompson Anxiety Disorders Centre
“It’s inspiring to see the compounding impact of Frederick Thompson’s visionary gift more than a decade ago. Brian’s transformational gift will help to move forward and accelerate Mr. Thompson’s vision so that more people can benefit from Sunnybrook’s specialized OCD care,” says Kelly Cole, President and CEO, Sunnybrook Foundation. “Brian’s gift, together with many others supporting the expansion of Sunnybrook’s Thompson Centre, shows how shared belief and generosity strengthen care.”
Kelly Cole, President And CEO, Sunnybrook Foundation
