Community's $4.5M Gift Transforms Women's Health in NS

The Orchid Women's Health Initiative has successfully raised more than $4.5 million over four years to improve women's health care in Nova Scotia. The group was founded in 2020 by nine women following the death of a friend from cervical cancer. Their commitment to enhancing care led to a remarkable achievement, with their latest fundraiser, the 2026 Orchid Gala, generating $1,261,196. This significant sum will be directed to the QEII Foundation, supporting advancements in personalized cancer care for women treated at the QEII Health Sciences Centre. The initiative aims to challenge wait times and champion leading-edge technologies. Proceeds from the gala are earmarked for introducing comprehensive genomic profiling and HRD testing at the QEII. These diagnostic tools will furnish cancer care teams with vital insights into a patient's tumor genetics, thereby enabling more tailored treatment strategies for individuals facing gynecologic cancers like ovarian and endometrial cancers.