Years ago, during a check-up at the Mayo Clinic, Mr. Mohammad H. Mohseni had an unexpected conversation that would help shape the future of urologic care in British Columbia and beyond.
“Why bother being here when you have Dr. Larry Goldenberg in Vancouver?” asked the head of urology, who happened to be a longtime friend from Iran.
That was Mr. Mohseni’s introduction to Dr. Goldenberg, a trailblazing urologic surgeon, clinician scientist, and founding director of the Vancouver Prostate Centre.
It has long been Dr. Goldenberg’s vision to build a world-class urology institute, based in Vancouver, that would bring together six different areas of urologic sciences. Thanks to a transformational $20 million gift from Mr. Mohseni, and the hundreds of donors who contributed a total of $65 million to VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation’s landmark Urologic Sciences campaign, that vision has now become a reality.
The M. H. Mohseni Institute of Urologic Sciences has officially launched within the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, marking a significant advancement in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of urologic diseases.
A legacy of giving
Mr. Mohseni’s generosity is rooted in a family tradition of giving.
His great-grandfather’s endowment for health and education in Iran continues to thrive, and Mr. Mohseni (pictured above) and his family are now restoring his estate into a regional health, education, and cultural centre – the family’s “flagship” project in Iran.
“We were determined to also create a flagship project in Canada, and we succeeded right here with our new urologic institute,” Mr. Mohseni said. “The institute is deeply meaningful to me and my family. It represents a significant portion of our budget. And that’s exactly how we intended it. We want our Vancouver flagship to have a profound impact, and this was the perfect place to make that happen.”
As a first-generation Canadian who immigrated in 1981, Mr. Mohseni created and grew a family-owned business, ECS Electrical Cable Supply, into a global company headquartered in Richmond. He has since made it his mission to give back to both his home country and the country that welcomed him.
His contributions through the Mohammad H. Mohseni Charitable Foundation focus on advancing health and education, with more than $21.7 million committed to VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation alone.
“Canada has been incredibly generous to me,” Mr. Mohseni said. “My heart is with this city, province, and country.”
Playing a ‘small part’ in a big future
Looking ahead, the M. H. Mohseni Institute of Urologic Sciences aims to solidify Vancouver’s position as a global leader in urologic care, accelerating the translation of scientific discoveries into life-changing clinical solutions. Mr. Mohseni expresses his “utmost confidence” in Dr. Martin Gleave, who has been named executive director of the institute, and the leadership team that has been assembled.
He also extends his heartfelt gratitude to the many hands that made this vision a reality, including Angela Chapman and Paola Coronado Hass at VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation, his own internal team, and, of course, “his dear friend” Dr. Goldenberg.
“I have the utmost faith in Dr. Goldenberg’s vision, Dr. Gleave’s leadership, and the world-class talent of their incredible team,” Mr. Mohseni said. “I am very proud to be a small part of this centre.”
“Hopefully we can do a lot of good things.”
VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation partners with donors to raise essential funds for specialized adult health care services and research benefiting everyone in BC. To donate, visit vghfoundation.ca/ways-to-give.
