A Canadian couple has made a transformative philanthropic gift to pediatric healthcare after their young daughter’s life was saved by doctors at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). Moez Kassam, founder of the Toronto-based investment firm Anson Funds, and his wife, Marissa, a former banker, have pledged $15 million to advance pediatric research and innovation, aiming to improve healthcare outcomes for children from around the world who receive care at SickKids.
In December 2023, the Kassams’ two-year-old daughter, Mikayla, was diagnosed with pneumonia, a common illness that quickly escalated into a critical emergency. With her parents by her side, Mikayla’s heart stopped, and she was placed in a medically induced coma and put on a ventilator for several weeks. Miraculously, Mikayla made a full recovery and today remembers her hospital stay fondly.
Moved by the exceptional care their daughter received and the dedication of SickKids’ medical staff, the Kassams decided to give back. Their $15 million donation, made through the Moez and Marissa Kassam Equity Fund, will support key research initiatives, including the creation of two pediatric research positions and a new role dedicated to helping families after their children leave intensive care.
“Our gift is meant to support research that improves outcomes for kids everywhere, including the hospital that did so much for our daughter,” said Marissa Kassam. “We were inspired by conversations with our doctors on what they would change to deliver health care better.”
The donation will create the Kassam Family Chair and Fellowship in Neurocritical Care, designed to attract leading global experts in pediatric medicine, as well as the Kassam Family Critical Care Award in Innovation, which will fund early-stage pediatric research. In recognition of their generosity, SickKids has named its pediatric intensive care unit-the largest in Canada-the Kassam Family PICU. “We hope this investment will help give other families the same hope and comfort we received during Mikayla’s time here,” said Moez Kassam.
The donation will help SickKids continue to recruit quality faculty and researchers. “SickKids will be able to attract and retain top-tier faculty and trainees and advance the field of pediatric critical care medicine,” said Dr. Steven Schwartz, chief of SickKids’ department of critical care medicine.
Anson Funds, with headquarters in both Texas and Toronto, manages over $3 billion CAD in assets, with Moez Kassam serving as Chief Investment Officer. The Moez & Marissa Kassam Equity Fund focuses on four impact areas: Food Security and Safe Housing, Healthcare and Research, Filling the Gap – Quality Education for Children, and Leveled Fields of Play. The Fund also recently donated $5 million to Toronto Metropolitan University’s new medical school, offering scholarships of up to $30,000 per year to recruit talented students from diverse backgrounds.
The Kassams’ donation to SickKids represents an investment in the future of pediatric healthcare. “It is an incredible experience when visionary philanthropists like the Kassams share our appreciation for the level of expertise at SickKids after a first-hand experience,” said Jennifer Bernard, CEO of SickKids Foundation.
Through this donation, the Kassams are helping SickKids remain a global leader in pediatric medicine, providing hope and healing to countless families facing medical challenges.