Our Foundation
The CanSAGE Foundation will generate and distribute financial support for our members’ research and other educational pursuits. Apply for membership today to benefit from this initiative.
Welcome to the CanSAGE Foundation
March 2026
Dear CanSAGE Members, Colleagues and Friends,
Thank you for your continued support of the Canadian Society for the Advancement of Gynecologic Excellence (CanSAGE). After five years of dedicated work by many CanSAGE members, I am pleased to share an important milestone: the CanSAGE Foundation is now officially established.
In January, the Foundation received charitable status from the Canada Revenue Agency. Our newly formed Board is actively shaping the Foundation’s mission, fundraising strategy, communications plan, and long-term goals to support research and education in gynecologic care across Canada.
Women’s health, particularly research and education related to endometriosis, chronic pelvic pain, fibroids, and advanced surgical training, has historically been underfunded. The expertise to address these challenges exists here in Canada. With sustained investment, we can strengthen the research, education, and infrastructure needed to advance care and position Canada as a leader in the diagnosis and treatment of these significant health issues.
Working in close partnership with CanSAGE, the Foundation will support high-impact research and education initiatives focused on improving care for patients with both acute and chronic gynecologic conditions.
To launch this work, we have set a first-year fundraising goal of $50,000. We invite all CanSAGE members to consider supporting the Foundation by making a donation now or at the time of your membership renewal. Donation details are available at: https://cansagefoundation.org/
We invite all CanSAGE members – and those who share our commitment to women’s health – to support the Foundation by donating now or at the time of membership renewal.
Your support at this early stage will have a lasting impact.
I hope you will consider matching or exceeding my personal contribution of $1,000. All donations are eligible for a charitable tax receipt.
If you are interested in sharing fundraising ideas, becoming involved with the Foundation, or proposing projects in need of support, I would be very pleased to hear from you. I can be reached directly at [email protected].
Thank you for helping make CanSAGE such a success, and for supporting this important next chapter through the CanSAGE Foundation.
With sincere appreciation,
John Thiel, MD
Chair, CanSAGE Foundation
November 2025
Dear Friends,
After a long paperwork strewn journey, I am very pleased to announce that the CanSAGE Foundation has received approval of its charitable status from the Canada Revenue Service. As such, all donations to the Foundation will be a tax deductible charitable donation.
The Board of the foundation includes Drs Liane Belland, Deborah Robertson and Philippe Laberge and Ms. Philippa Bridge-Cook from the Endometriosis Network. The Board will meet for the first time in the next few weeks after which we will begin soliciting donations. A priority for the Board will also be to discuss options for dispersal of funds for research and education over the next year.
We are excited to get started with this new initiative, if you are interested in getting involved with the Foundation please let me know, I am quite certain we can find a place for you.
Yours sincerely,
John Thiel
December 2024
Dear Friends,
We are very excited to update our Foundation. Much like first pregnancy it seems like forever since we started the application paperwork. We are finally in the early stages of labour as the application has been submitted to the Canadian Revenue Agency charitable directorate for review and approval. The lawyer assisting us feels that we will hear sometime early in the new year. They have been very thorough in completing and submitting the application and I am very hopeful that we will have a delivery announcement very soon.
Yours sincerely,
John Thiel
January 2024
Dear Friends,
The establishment of the CanSAGE Foundation continues to move ahead slowly but steadily. We are engaging with a new legal firm and hope that they are able to expedite the application with the Canadian Revenue Agency. I plan to meet with them sometime in the next couple of weeks and hope that we can complete the process before the Annual meeting in September. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or suggestions.
Yours sincerely,
John Thiel
January 2023
Dear Friends,
I am very pleased to provide this update on the progress in establishing the CanSAGE Foundation. The mission of this organization is to identify and support research and education initiatives in the areas of gynecologic care of cis, trans and non-binary persons for both acute and chronic conditions such as endometriosis, fibroids, chronic pelvic pain.
Our application as a charitable organization to the Canadian Revenue Agency has been submitted and we are waiting on approval, which we expect any day now. Once we are officially established, we will be contacting our members and other potential donors as we seek to establish a consistent source for research funds for our CanSAGE members. Our first-year fund raising goal is a modest $10,000 but we hope to be able to exceed this amount.
We look forward to this new endeavour and are pleased to be part of the continued growth of CanSAGE. Stay tuned for an update soon.
Yours sincerely,
John Thiel
The First Board of the CanSAGE Foundation
John
Thiel
Chair and Director
Regina, SK
Liane
Belland
Director
Calgary, AB
Philippa Bridge-Cook
Director
Toronto, ON
Philippe Laberge
Director
Quebec City, QC
Deborah Robertson
Director
Toronto, ON
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Foundation’s Fundraising Goal for 2026?
The CanSAGE Foundation seeks to raise at least $50,000 this year.
Do I Need to Be a CanSAGE Member to Benefit from the CanSAGE Foundation?
The CanSAGE Foundation’s work will support research by our members that advances gynecologic research as a whole. However, grants offered through the CanSAGE Foundation will be open to applications from members only.
How Will the Money Be Used to Establish the Foundation?
Money raised by the foundation will help cover the legal costs and provide research & educational funding for CanSAGE members.
How Do I Apply for Membership?
Application for membership shall be made using the online form provided by CanSAGE. Upon receipt of the application properly completed, and the payment of the required dues, the Executive of the Board of Directors shall make independent investigation if deemed appropriate to determine whether the applicant meets all requirements for membership.