Recognizing Annie and Andrew Bannatyne’s role in HSC’s 150th anniversary
HSC Winnipeg has transformed to what it is today thanks to Annie and Andrew Bannatyne’s generosity 150 years ago.
If it were not for the community spirit of Annie and Andrew Bannatyne and their acts of generosity 150 years ago, there would be no Health Sciences Centre today. They were leaders, influencers, visionaries, and champions.
Annie, who was Red River Métis, was the daughter of Andrew McDermot and Sarah McNab. She was renowned for her hospitality, energy, and ability to bring people together in common cause. It’s been said that it was Annie’s persistence and passion that persuaded her father and her husband to donate a parcel of land that ultimately became the site of the Winnipeg General Hospital, known today as the Health Sciences Centre.
Through the Ladies of the Province—an association that later became the White Cross Guild—Annie and her colleagues raised funds for the poor and for health care. In 1872, Annie started fundraising for a hospital that was built on the land generously donated by her family. The first building was completed in 1875 at a cost of $1,818. Annie and the Ladies of the Province raised $1,345.80 of the total.
“As we reflect on 150 years of HSC, it is important to recognize Annie and Andrew Bannatyne. Together, they left their mark on Manitoba. They inspired and enabled the development of the Health Sciences Centre. Their gifts will have an impact for all time,” says Irma McKenzie, HSC Foundation’s Director of Planned Giving.
And that’s why we named the Bannatyne Legacy Circle, a community committed to supporting HSC by leaving a gift in their will, in their honour.
Click here to learn more about the Bannatyne Legacy Circle. To learn more about HSC’s milestone anniversary, please watch the hospital’s 150th anniversary video.
