Remembering Sonia Labatt
On March 14, 2022, we lost a legendary philanthropist, community leader, and champion for child health. Sonia Labatt’s impact on SickKids — on countless institutions and causes — was enormous.
In 1997, Sonia and her husband Arthur donated $5 million to help establish the Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre with a vision to bring scientists and clinicians together to spur groundbreaking research about some of the most severe childhood cancers. At the time, their gift was the largest family contribution in SickKids history. Ten years later, they surpassed that, donating $30 million to establish the Labatt Family Heart Centre, another globally known hive of clinical and scientific excellence, which has become a model for paediatric research.
But Sonia’s impact at SickKids goes well beyond her philanthropy. From 1999-2009, she served as a Hospital Trustee and was Chair of its Governance and Nominating Committee. Through this role, she had a major impact on the Hospital Board, helping to bring on members with diverse views and backgrounds and establishing a governance model that is still in use today.
She was also a lifelong learner, forever curious and hungry for knowledge. Thirty years after graduating from the University of Toronto, Sonia returned there in 1990 to complete a master of arts in geography, followed by a PhD. She became an adjunct professor at the school’s Centre of the Environment, and in 2011, she received an Honorary doctor of laws degree, recognizing her contributions to public life.
Sonia will be deeply missed and we’re grateful for all that she’s done for SickKids and child health care. It’s impossible to truly capture the breadth of her impact, though members of the SickKids community have kindly shared some highlights:
“Sonia and Arthur were major supporters of SickKids and made such a difference in our campaign to significantly raise the bar in fundraising at the Foundation. I am indebted to them for their leadership giving."
— Ruth Grant, past Chair of SickKids Foundation and Vice-Chair of the Hospital Board of Trustees
“Sonia was so kind and empathetic. And as our friendship developed over the years, I was struck — as everybody was — about how astute and intelligent Sonia was. And extremely funny. She had a tremendous curiosity about everything, and I always admired that about her.”
— Susan Pigott, past Hospital Trustee and current board member of the Garry Hurvitz Centre for Community Mental Health
“Sonia’s clear-headed thinking and very sound judgment in the boardroom were genuine value- adds to many deliberations. She chaired the Governance and Nominating Committee with an eye on diversity on the Board of Trustees, and she valued her relationship with her counterpart on the Foundation Board to enable a win-win approach to their responsibilities. She was a quiet philanthropist who proudly joined with her husband, Arthur, to make astounding impact in the fields of children’s health, mental health and more. A wonderful Canadian.”
— Patsy Anderson, former Hospital Trustee and long-time Chair of SickKids Foundation Board of Directors
“She really committed herself to lifelong learning and, therefore, she was very engaged and really wanted to understand not just what we were attempting to do at SickKids, but why and how. When she and Arthur created the Heart Centre in 2007, I remember her excitement and enthusiasm about the potential of their gift. I was in awe, both at the gesture of the gift, and that she recognized the impact it would have well beyond the walls of SickKids.”
— Mary Jo Haddad, former President and CEO of SickKids
"I remember so well when Sonia joined the SickKids Board of Trustees. All of her inputs and insights were spot on. Together, we chaired the Governance Committees of the Hospital Board of Trustees and the SickKids Foundation Board that we were fortunate to lead the development and approval of the Governance Model for the Hospital and Foundation that has served us all so well and will hopefully do so for many years to come.”
— Mary Mogford, past Hospital Trustee