Sunnybrook Receives $10M Gift to Expand OCD Research, Education, and Treatment

The transformational gift from Brian Reeve will propel and accelerate the next phase of growth for the Frederick W. Thompson Anxiety Disorders Centre

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, a national leader in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) care and research, is expanding access to treatment and investing in the future of care for people living with severe OCD and related disorders, thanks to Brian Reeve and his family's $10M transformational gift.

Mr. Reeve, a Toronto lawyer and private equity investor as well as a grateful participant in Sunnybrook’s Frederick W. Thompson Anxiety Disorders Centre OCD program, made this generous gift to propel the next phase of growth of the Thompson Centre – Canada’s first and only facility dedicated to research, education, and treatment for severe OCD and related disorders.

OCD affects an estimated 400,000 Canadians. As Canada’s only centre specializing in OCD and related disorders, the Thompson Centre fills an important gap in research, education and patient care, accepting referrals from across Canada. Mr. Reeve’s gift accelerates the expansion and relocation of the Thompson Centre’s 24/7 OCD treatment unit from a local community treatment setting to a permanent home at Sunnybrook’s Bayview campus. The new location within the Thompson Centre will be established as the Reeve OCD Centre, enabling closer collaboration with Sunnybrook’s Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program and increasing the capacity of available beds. The new Centre will also feature a kitchen and dining facility, sleeping facilities, treatment rooms and multipurpose activity spaces for group therapies, exercise and social programming.

“The Reeve OCD Centre will advance Sunnybrook’s leadership in specialized OCD care, drive innovative treatments, and transform care for OCD patients and their families when it matters most,” says Dr. Andy Smith, President and CEO of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

Mr. Reeve’s gift will create a lasting impact by strengthening OCD research and education, as well as training the next generation of OCD clinicians and researchers through the creation of Reeve OCD Fellowships and an endowed OCD Chair.

In 2019, Mr. Reeve spent four months in the Thompson Centre’s intensive program, receiving world-class treatment for OCD from Dr. Richter and the team at Sunnybrook’s Thompson Centre. His generous support of Sunnybrook’s Thompson Centre will allow more Canadians in need of intensive OCD care to receive it on a timely basis.

“The care I received at Sunnybrook gave me a 'life reset’ and the ability to maximize the enjoyment of all aspects of my life – including much better quality time with my family. I will always be grateful for the treatment I received,” says Mr. Reeve. “This gift is an expression of my gratitude, but is also an investment in OCD care and research that will hopefully pay large dividends in the future. My intent is to carry forward Frederick Thompson's vision — and hopefully inspire others to support this work for generations to come.”

Building on the Thompson family’s vision, his support helps ensure Sunnybrook’s continued national and international leadership in OCD care, research, and education, while training the next generation of clinical and research leaders.

“It’s inspiring to see the compounding impact of Frederick Thompson’s visionary gift more than a decade ago. Brian’s transformational gift will help to move forward and accelerate Mr. Thompson’s vision so that more people can benefit from Sunnybrook’s specialized OCD care,” says Kelly Cole, President and CEO, Sunnybrook Foundation. “Brian’s gift, together with many others supporting the expansion of Sunnybrook’s Thompson Centre, shows how shared belief and generosity strengthen care.”

The Centre has supported thousands of Canadians through its comprehensive care model, including nearly 400 patients treated through its intensive live-in and day program – the first and only of its kind in Canada – and hundreds more who receive ongoing outpatient care.

To learn more about the Thompson Centre, visit https://sunnybrook.ca/departments/frederick-w-thompson-anxiety-disorders-centre.

About Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is inventing the future of health care for the over 1 million patients the hospital cares for each year through the dedication of its more than 12,000 staff and volunteers. An internationally recognized leader in research and education and a full affiliation with the University of Toronto distinguishes Sunnybrook as one of Canada's premier academic health sciences centres.

Sunnybrook specializes in caring for high-risk pregnancies, critically-ill newborns and adults, offering specialized rehabilitation and treating and preventing cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurological and psychiatric disorders, orthopaedic and arthritic conditions and traumatic injuries. The Hospital also has a unique and national leading program for the care of Canada's war veterans.

For more information about how Sunnybrook is inventing the future of health care, please visit us online at www.sunnybrook.ca.

About the Swinson Chair

The Swinson Chair in OCD will be a joint appointment with the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, named after Dr. Richard Swinson, a pioneer in research and treatment of OCD and a mentor to Dr. Peggy Richter, internationally recognized psychiatrist, OCD expert, and Head of Sunnybrook’s Thompson Centre.