This institute is the first of its kind in North America that will tackle
    the gulf of knowledge that separates education from research and research
    from front line health care.

    TORONTO, Nov. 30 /PRNewswire/ - St. Michael's Hospital (SMH), announced
today the inaugural Canadian donation of $25 million from the Li Ka Shing
(Canada) Foundation (LKSCF). This gift will be used to establish the Li Ka
Shing Knowledge Institute, the first of its kind in North America. The
Institute will bring together the worlds of research, education and patient
care to create a unique global institute dedicated to bringing science to
patients faster than ever before.
    St. Michael's Hospital is affiliated with the University of Toronto and
is well known. The Hospital is warmly dubbed as the "Urban Angel" for its long
and proud history of caring and compassion, serving the sick and the poor of
Toronto's inner city since its establishment in 1892.
    In recognition of Mr. Li's generosity, the Hospital is naming the new
facility the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute. The Li Ka Shing Knowledge
Institute will comprise two centres with a total gross floor area of 285,500
square feet. Construction of the institute will commence next spring and
completion is scheduled for 2009. The Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute will
house the Keenan Research Centre and the Li Ka Shing International Centre in
Health Care Education.
    As the first grant recipient from LKSCF, SMH will be joining University
of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, the University of California at Berkeley
in the United States, the Institut Pasteur in France, the University of Hong
Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Shantou University in
Mainland China who have received major grants under LKSF's HKD 3 billion
biomedical program.
    "This is the largest single donation ever received by St. Michael's
Hospital. This incredible donation reinforces that Canadian research,
education and patient care are at the forefront of international medical
science," said Jeffrey Lozon, President and CEO, St. Michael's Hospital.
    Mr. Li expressed his great admiration for the dedicated service SMH has
for the community.
    "Today the world feels bombarded by all kinds of 'isms' that are loud in
their demands but complacent to their own failings; it is easy to feel that
many lack a generosity of spirit that is essential to caring for others and
looking out for society's constructive progress. In these times, it is
refreshing and touching to know that an institution has stayed true to its
commitment to progress and care throughout the years."
    "I believe an equitable society can only be achieved if each and every
individual is ready and willing to do his or her part in capacity empowerment
through education and the building of a caring society, particularly through
medical and healthcare related projects. These are two important pillars of
hope for any society," Mr. Li said.
    Researchers use the skills they have acquired to translate their findings
to clinicians, and clinicians in turn relay back the findings to their
patients. By combining groundbreaking research and medical education with
practical training in a hospital facility the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute
will serve as a new model for other hospitals in this country and for
institutions around the world.
    David Naylor, President of the University of Toronto, who worked with St.
Michael's on the development of the Institute while serving as Dean of
Medicine said, "Now for the first time ever, we will be building on the
education that researchers, educators and clinicians receive from the
university and we will be building on the knowledge and accelerating their
findings to the front lines of care, thus setting a new standard in health
care."
    "Combining research, education and practice creates an incubator or
hothouse effect. All areas are able to function more effectively by being
proximate to the other. The Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute will be such an
incubator - fusing University of Toronto expertise in research and education
with St. Michael's Hospital's proud tradition of outstanding patient care to
address the challenges facing health care today," said Dr. Arthur Slutsky,
Vice President of Research, St. Michael's Hospital.
    "Mr. Li is recognized as being one of the most successful businessmen and
outstanding philanthropists of our time," adds Lozon. "We are pleased that he
has looked across Canada and chosen to partner with St. Michael's Hospital. By
using our hospital as a living lab we will discover the best ways to increase
the adoption of best practices among our health professionals. We can then
share these insights broadly with other health care institutions within Canada
and, through our partnership with other leading institutions like Shantou
University and others, globally. Thanks to Mr. Li's foresight, patient care
will improve dramatically around the world."

    St. Michael's Hospital
    ----------------------

    In addition to being a world-renowned research and academic center, St.
Michael's Hospital remains one of the world's best-known symbols for leading,
innovative and compassionate patient care. By launching the Li Ka Shing
Knowledge Institute, the Keenan Research Centre and the Li Ka Shing
International Centre in Health Care Education, St. Michael's Hospital is
raising the bar as a prominent influencer in the provision of excellent
patient care, research and education.

    Li Ka Shing (Canada) Foundation
    -------------------------------

    Li Ka Shing (Canada) Foundation was incorporated in Canada early this
year. To date, the Li Ka Shing Foundation and other private charitable
foundations established by Mr. Li have supported numerous charitable
activities with grants, sponsorships and commitments of approximately HK$7.6
billion. Established in 1980, Mr. Li envisioned his philanthropic efforts
would nurture a new culture of giving in our society; by supporting people and
programmes dedicated to capacity enhancement for young people and to
pioneering medical research and services for the community we could build hope
and a caring society. For more information, please visit http://www.lksf.org.

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