QEII Foundation

We’re so grateful to hear good news stories from the QEII Health Sciences Centre from patients like Cheryl. 💜

Cheryl Bidgood had been managing scoliosis for most of her life, but in recent years her condition became unbearable. That’s when the QEII’s orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Andrew Glennie combined his expertise with a donor-funded spinal robot, the MAZOR X, to perform a life-changing surgery for her.

“Surgery was seven and half hours long, and from my perspective, it was nothing short of a miracle,” says Cheryl.

Dr. Glennie explains that the spinal robot changes things dramatically, including improved access and precision that is “second to none.”

Today, Cheryl says she is eternally grateful for the generous donations from QEII Foundation supporters that funded the robot and gave her back her life.

“I can walk and breathe and eat and actually sleep again,” says Cheryl. And she’s not alone – the spinal robot is continuing to change the lives of many other patients in Nova Scotia.

Like current CT scanners, a photon counting computed tomography (PCCT) scanner takes X-rays from many directions in a circle around the patient, creating a 3D picture of what’s going on inside them. But this new technology has greatly increased resolution, which is especially important for heart and cancer care patients.

The QEII Foundation is raising funds to bring this state-of-the-art technology to the QEII. “It’s entirely new technology,” says Dr. James Clarke, the chief of the Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Central Zone, Nova Scotia Health. Dr. Clarke says the photon-counting scanner goes down to 0.2 millimetres, giving them three times the spatial resolution.

These enhanced images will provide better accuracy for the doctor diagnosing health conditions, which can lead to reduced wait times for other imaging scans by helping answer questions with a single study instead of multiple studies. The new scanner will also decrease radiation exposure for patients. 💜 Read more:

QEII TIMES: Supporting ground-breaking technology for Nova Scotians QEII Foundation raising funds for state-of-the-art PCCT at the QEII The QEII Foundation is raising funds to bring a state-of-the-art photon counting computed tomography (PCCT) scanner to the QEII Health Sciences Centre as part of its $100-million We Are campaign.Like current CT scanners, the new tec...

Vanessa Dairo-Singerr, a Dalhousie University dentistry graduate, is pursuing a General Practice Residency (GPR) at Western University enabling her to gain more experience in hospital-based dentistry and the management of medically compromised patients.

Vanessa was born in Nigeria, and shortly after moved to Ireland and later to Canada. "Education about, and access to, oral health where my parents grew up in Nigeria was minimal," she says. The first time she and her family went to a dentist was in Ireland when she was six or seven. "I hope to increase access to dental care because of our past experiences," she says.

Vanessa was “ecstatic" to receive two QEII Foundation Diversity in Health Care bursaries, donor-provided funding that support students who are generally under-represented in healthcare fields. As a recipient, Vanessa hopes that she can "inspire others who come from similar backgrounds and have faced challenges to believe that they, too, can also pursue a career in health care." 💜 Read more: https://bit.ly/43zLNAa

Story credit: Dalhousie Faculty of Dentistry Dalhousie University

In December 2024, Karen Torraville of Truro, N.S. went to her family doctor with a debilitating pain in her side that wasn’t going away. Following multiple tests, it was a CT scan that revealed a mass in her abdomen.

In May 2025, a biopsy identified the mass as leiomyosarcoma, a rare cancer that can develop in the body’s smooth muscle tissue in the digestive system, urinary system, blood vessels and uterus. Karen’s tumour was in her abdomen at the lower part of her digestive tract.

Told that it was a challenging area to access, Karen’s tumour was removed by the skilled hands of QEII surgeon Dr. Ashley Drohan in early July 2025. With the tumour and all affected margins removed, Karen avoided additional post-surgery treatment.

Karen spent about 10 days at the QEII following her surgery as her tumour affected the nerves in her legs; she needed to recover her mobility before being discharged. During her time in hospital, Karen says she had incredible care and everyone, including the housekeeping staff, was so kind, knowledgeable and helpful.

“When you’re vulnerable and scared, the acts of kindness and reassurance go a long way,” says Karen.

She goes on to say the QEII is a place of hope, expertise and excellence in health care with a team of professionals who care deeply for patients from across the province.

Her latest CT scan in March 2026 showed she remains cancer free. Back to enjoying life, Karen says “I feel like I’ve been given a second chance that so many have not been given.” 💜

A world-renowned cardiologist, Dr. John Sapp specializes in heart rhythm research at the QEII. The focus of Dr. Sapp’s latest research, the END-VT study, took the spotlight during the QEII Foundation’s Innovation Den in April 2026, where judges, donors and the audience learned that when it comes to being protected from cardiac arrest, it is truly all about the timing.

In this Q&A, learn how heart rhythms play a role cardiac arrest, and how Dr. Sapp’s research is exploring how to help prevent additional heart attacks in patients:

Getting to the Heart of Heart Rhythms: A Q&A with Dr. John Sapp Every day, healthcare teams throughout the QEII Health Sciences Centre aim to get to the heart of a wide array of medical issues. Halifax’s own Dr. John Sapp works to get to the heart of heart health issues.A world-renowned cardiologist, Dr. Sapp, specializes in heart rhythm research at the QEII. ...

We are hiring! The QEII Foundation is looking for a people-first, high-energy, detail-driven Events & Partnerships Coordinator. 💜

An integral member of our growing Events & Partnership team, the Events & Partnership Coordinator will play a key role in helping deliver one of Canada’s Top 3 Peer-to-Peer cycling fundraising events, BMO Ride for Cancer, while supporting the growth of community partnerships, volunteer engagement, and sponsor experiences that fuel healthcare innovation and impact across our province.

If you have a related professional degree or equivalent experience, 3-5 years of experience in events, fundraising, partnerships, customer service, volunteer management, or a related field and are eager to join an organization dedicated to transforming local health care, we want to hear from you! The QEII Foundation offers competitive compensation, RRSP matching, medical benefits, a wellness fund, and much more. Learn more and apply: https://qe2foundation.ca/about-qeii-foundation/careers

Generous donors to the QEII Foundation’s palliative care trust fund allowed the palliative care team at the Victoria General site’s 12-bed inpatient unit to purchase an accessible whirlpool tub.

Carrie Edwards was admitted to the QEII’s inpatient palliative care unit on February 23 with late-stage pancreatic cancer. The whirlpool tub brought her peace and comfort prior to her passing in early April 2026.

For Carrie, the warm water and bubbles also soothed her bed sores and the inflammation in her legs and feet. Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer four years ago and having undergone several rounds of treatment, Carrie was admitted to the palliative care unit after the extreme pain she experienced made living alone in her Dartmouth apartment unmanageable.

“It is just heavenly,” said Carrie. “Soaking in it makes me feel so good.” 💜

The Spring 2026 edition of the QEII Times is now available online. Read this story and more:

QEII TIMES: Therapeutic relief: new accessible whirlpool tub at the QEII QEII Foundation donors supporting patients through end-of-life careAs health services manager of Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone Palliative Care Programs, Eric Newson is thankful for a new option to help patients experience comfort and relaxation as they approach the end of their lives.Generous ...