On March 31, 2026, an extraordinary leader, visionary, and champion of local health care closed her laptop for the final time, sent her last email, and said farewell to a place that had been her professional home for more than 30 years.
Few people leave a legacy as deeply woven into the fabric of a community as Tracy Paterson.
When Ken McInnis hired Tracy in the late 1980s as Director of Development & Communications for Ajax Pickering General Hospital, no one could have imagined the profound impact she would have on health care across Durham Region for decades to come.
It is impossible to separate the growth and evolution of Ajax Pickering Hospital from Tracy’s passion for this community, her professionalism and expertise in philanthropy, and her unwavering belief that the people of Durham deserve exceptional health care close to home.
Throughout the hospital, Tracy’s legacy can be seen everywhere.
It lives in the countless pieces of donor-funded equipment that support patient care every day, and in transformational investments such as the MRI funded through the Image is Everything campaign — a remarkable initiative Tracy led that raised more than $5 million in less than two years.
Her leadership also helped drive the fundraising efforts behind both the west and north tower expansions, forever changing the hospital’s ability to serve a rapidly growing community.
Tracy’s impact extended far beyond bricks and mortar. Working alongside orthopaedic surgeons at Ajax Pickering Hospital, she helped create The Shoulder Centre — an innovative model designed to ensure patients received the right care, at the right time, from the right provider.
One of Tracy’s greatest gifts was her ability to make the extraordinary look effortless.
The historic $7 million donation from Jerry Coughlan — the largest individual gift in Durham Region history — may have appeared to happen overnight, but those who worked alongside Tracy understood the months, and often years, of relationship building, stewardship, and trust that made such generosity possible.
Likewise, the Mayors’ Charity Golf Classic generating nearly $1 million in net revenue during its 30th anniversary tournament in 2025 was not simply good fortune; it was the result of Tracy’s exceptional ability to inspire donors, sponsors, and community leaders to rally behind a shared vision for the future of health care in Durham.
Tracy challenged all of us to think bigger, dream bolder, and never settle for less than excellence for our community.
Tracy’s leadership and commitment to patient care have left an extraordinary mark not only on Ajax Pickering Hospital, but across the entire Lakeridge Health system. Her ability to inspire philanthropy, build lasting relationships, and advocate for exceptional care close to home has helped transform health care for generations of patients and families throughout Durham Region. We are deeply grateful for her decades of service and wish her every happiness in retirement.
— Cynthia Davis, President and CEO, Lakeridge Health
To hospital team members, she was a passionate advocate for exceptional patient care. To volunteers, she was an enthusiastic champion. To government representatives, she was a respected and trusted voice. And to her colleagues at the Foundation, she led with integrity, humility, determination, and heart — constantly encouraging all of us to do our very best.
On behalf of the entire Foundation Board and Foundation staff, we extend our deepest gratitude to Tracy for her extraordinary leadership, commitment, and service. Her contributions have forever shaped our hospital, our Foundation, and the lives of countless patients and families across Durham Region.
As the Foundation begins this next chapter, we are also pleased to welcome Steven Cook as Chief Executive Officer of the Ajax Pickering Hospital Foundation. Steven brings extensive healthcare fundraising expertise, international leadership experience, and a proven record of transformational growth and community impact. We are confident the Foundation is exceptionally well positioned for the future under his leadership, and we look forward to building upon the strong foundation Tracy helped create over the past three decades.
While Tracy leaves behind very big shoes to fill, she also leaves an enduring legacy of compassion, vision, and community impact that will continue to inspire all of us for many years to come.
Tracy, thank you for more than three decades of dedication, friendship, and unwavering belief in what is possible. We wish you every happiness and blessing in your retirement. You will be greatly missed, fondly remembered, and forever part of the Ajax Pickering Hospital family.
With gratitude and honour,
Victor Sgro
Chair, Ajax Pickering Hospital Foundation
