Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is proud to recognize and celebrate Molly McKeown, vice president, partnerships at Holland Bloorview’s foundation, on receiving the prestigious Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP) 40 Under 40 award. The award recognizes 40 young professionals each year who are making a significant difference in health care philanthropy.

“We are so proud and excited for Molly on this well-deserved recognition,” says Sandra Hawken, president and CEO, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation. “During her five years and multiple promotions on the foundation team, Molly tirelessly committed to building a more accessible and inclusive world for kids and youth with disabilities.”

Sandra highlights some of Molly’s remarkable achievements: “Among her many accomplishments, Molly co-leads our record-breaking Capes for Kids campaigns, inspires an unparalleled level of corporate philanthropic giving and leads with innovation to create opportunities for corporate Canada to make systemic change for disability inclusion,” she says. “Her unwavering drive, dedication and deep empathy are just a few of her many super powers.” 

We spoke with Molly about the significance of this recognition, both personally and professionally:

How do you feel about being recognized and what does this award mean to you? 

To be recognized for something you are so passionate about and have dedicated many years of your life towards is so incredibly special. What’s even more special is being nominated by a group of people that mean so much to me. These are colleagues and donors who inspire me on a daily basis and to be recognized by them specifically is just the icing on the cake.

Can you describe your journey in health care philanthropy leading up to this award?

I began volunteering for different charities while I was in university and came to really love being an advocate for a cause that I cared deeply about. Since graduating, I have worked and volunteered with different non-profits that support causes which are important to me, ranging from friendship programs for students with intellectual disabilities, to rescuing dogs, to mentoring programs and different roles within the foundation at Holland Bloorview. Each of these roles allowed me to find out more about myself, learn from incredible colleagues and ultimately help me become who I am as a fundraiser today. 

Can you share a pivotal point in your career or personal story in your career that left a lasting impact on you?

When I first graduated from university, I took a job that aligned with my Bachelor of Science degree. In that experience, it felt like something was missing and that I was not on a path that felt fulfilling to me. I ended up pivoting and took a risk in jumping to the charity world and haven’t looked back since. 

From there, I chose to make health care philanthropy my career and I continue to feel like one of the luckiest people in the world to have a job that is essentially an extension of who I am as a person. I get to authentically be myself while championing a cause that I wholeheartedly believe in, surrounded by some of the most extraordinary individuals. It is the biggest honour to work for this cause and have a career that brings such joy and meaning to my life.

What is your greatest motivation in your philanthropy work at Holland Bloorview?  

My greatest motivation is our hospital’s mission and the families and kids that we serve. In this job, there has been no greater passion for me than watching donors fall in love with Holland Bloorview as much as I do. To see them go from being a stranger to an unwavering champion for the clients we serve is one of the greatest joys of my job. 

What do you believe sets you apart from other nominees?

I really believe that the culture that has been set up within the Foundation under Sandra Hawken’s leadership has really propelled the quality of work that I do. As a team, we set core values for our work which include innovation, inclusion and gratitude. The consistent focus on these elements really sets our programs and relationships with donors apart from any others.  

What innovative strategies have you implemented in your role at Holland Bloorview that contributed to this recognition?

Impactful innovation doesn’t just live in big projects. Some of the best innovation can happen in the details. For example, in the past four  years of working on our Capes for Kids fundraiser, we have been able to increase corporate revenue by over 100 per cent. This was not done by one innovative idea, but through many small innovative projects such as introducing Kid Captains, creating new activations to attract higher level sponsors and through curating custom and meaningful experiences for our partners. 

How do you plan to leverage this award to make a positive impact through your work at the Foundation?

I’m very much looking forward to connecting with the “40 Under 40 Class of 2023.” Being able to connect and learn from peers from across North America will be incredibly beneficial and I’m excited to see what we can incorporate into our work at Holland Bloorview.

What advice would you give to other young professionals aspiring to excel in  health care philanthropy? 

I would tell young professionals in the field that they don’t need to fit themselves in a “typical fundraiser” mold to be successful. It’s all about finding your unique strengths and leveraging those to carve out your own path to success.  

When thinking of success in a career, “empathy” is not always the strength that would come to mind first. However, I have personally found that it has been the most beneficial in my career. Leaning into my strong sense of empathy has not only made me a better leader, but has also allowed me to build authentic connections with our donors to create experiences that are both impactful and meaningful to them.

Can you share some of your aspirations and goals for the future? 

I’ve never been one to set a specific title or organization as a career goal. I set  goals based on my values and how I want to feel in a job. What I do know is that I aspire to continually feel challenged, passionate and energized and I am very fortunate to have this in a career at Holland Bloorview. 

Any special words of gratitude to your colleagues and peers for their support in your career?  

Any greatness that I have is a direct reflection of the team around me. I have been so lucky to have a career that has surrounded me with brilliant, creative and kind colleagues and being able to learn from them all has allowed me to get to this point.

Congratulations to Molly. We couldn’t be prouder of her accomplishments!

To learn more about the award, visit the AHP website.