Case Study
The Health Care Foundation, in partnership with Gale Force Wins, set out to highlight the transformative power of community philanthropy through “The Big Raise,” an annual event dedicated to modernizing healthcare in Newfoundland and Labrador. By capturing the perspectives of government leaders, healthcare executives, and frontline physicians, they aimed to show how collective action accelerates the arrival of life-saving technology.
“You cannot touch without being touched… we’re here to help ensure our doctors and healthcare professionals can offer the best health-enhancing and health-saving care.” — David Jones, Chair of the Board of Directors, Health Care Foundation.
At A Glance
When faced with a highly pressurized healthcare system, increasing wait times for diagnostics, and the challenge of recruiting top medical talent, how do you mobilize a community to bridge the gap between essential government funding and state-of-the-art medical innovation?.
Benefits
- Accelerated Innovation: Philanthropy allows the province to acquire advanced equipment like the Da Vinci robotic surgical system and new MRI machines much sooner than through traditional funding alone.
- Enhanced Patient Outcomes: Modern technology has already reduced hospital stays by up to 60% for certain procedures, allowing patients to recover in the comfort of their own homes.
- Recruitment and Retention: Providing cutting-edge equipment serves as a vital tool to attract and keep world-class doctors, nurses, and specialists within Newfoundland and Labrador.
- Provincial Pride: These initiatives foster a deep sense of community connection and accomplishment, showing what Newfoundlanders and Labradorians can achieve when they rally together.
Objectives
Gale Force Wins was tasked to capture the narrative of “The Big Raise 2026,” documenting the impact of previous fundraising successes while highlighting the urgent need for a new MRI at the ambulatory urgent care facility. The goal was to articulate a clear “patient pathway”—from faster diagnosis to more efficient recovery—driven by community generosity.
Solution
Planning
Gale Force Wins collaborated with the Health Care Foundation and NL Health Services to identify the key voices that represent the full spectrum of care. They mapped out a strategy to interview the Minister of Health, the CEO of NL Health Services, and clinical leads in surgery and emergency medicine to ensure the “Big Raise” story reflected both high-level policy goals and real-world clinical benefits.
Process
The production team conducted intimate and insightful interviews during the event, capturing the energy of 280 community members gathered to support the cause. They documented the success of the Da Vinci robot, which has already facilitated 300 successful cancer operations and enabled same-day outpatient surgeries.
By interviewing Dr. Dick Barter and Dr. Angela Bussey, they highlighted the clinical urgency of the new MRI project, explaining how it will allow primary care providers to refer patients directly, cutting weeks off the wait for diagnosis. Through the words of Minister Lela Evans and CEO Paul Snow, Gale Force Wins wove together a narrative of “win-win-win” partnerships, demonstrating that when the community invests in technology, it transforms the delivery of healthcare for every citizen in the province.