When Patrick McNally was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer in 2021, he wasn’t sure what the future would hold. Today, he continues to defy the odds, a result he attributes to the treatment he received and the research that made it possible.
Inspired by that experience, Patrick and his wife Nancy, owners of Peninsula Ridge Estate Winery in Beamsville, have made a $5-million gift to McMaster University. Their investment will support emerging lung cancer researchers, fuel innovative discoveries and improve outcomes for patients throughout the region.
The gift honours Rosalyn Juergens, a medical oncologist, patient advocate and researcher whose work focuses on personalized cancer care, helping to match patients with treatments based on the molecular characteristics of their tumours. This approach helped guide the treatment that contributed to Patrick’s success.
“Despite the odds, I’m alive today because Dr. Juergens never gave up on me,” said Patrick McNally. “Everyone deserves access to the same compassionate, expert care that I received. Through this gift, we hope to help ensure more patients benefit from groundbreaking research.”
Patrick’s experience highlights the powerful relationship between exceptional care and research innovation, a theme Juergens says is central to improving outcomes for patients.
“Patrick’s story demonstrates the life-changing impact of research-driven care,” said Juergens, who also serves as a professor of oncology at McMaster University and as a patient advocate through her role as president of Lung Cancer Canada. “Seeing him thrive today is a powerful reminder of why this work matters. I am deeply grateful to Pat and Nancy for their generosity, which will help fuel innovation and improve care for patients and families for years to come. Lung cancer is too often a devastating diagnosis, and research funding does not match the disease’s global burden.
This gift will have a transformative impact both regionally and nationally.”
The McNallys’ gift will support several priorities aimed at strengthening lung cancer research at McMaster, underscoring the critical role philanthropy plays in creating better care for patients.
The first is the McNally Family Lung Cancer Fellowship, which will help attract and train early-career physicians and postdoctoral researchers. Running over the next decade, the program will help train the next generation of lung cancer specialists.
The gift will also establish the McNally Family Lung Cancer Innovation Fund, providing flexible support for promising research opportunities and new approaches to cancer prevention and treatment.
Finally, the gift will advance research aimed at improving outcomes for people with lung cancer. Areas of focus will include more personalized and timely approaches to care, using genetic information to better match patients with treatments. Recognizing that time is critical for people facing lung cancer, researchers will also work to identify lung cancer earlier, address gaps in care and streamline access to services across the region.
“Advances in treatment are possible because of sustained investment in research and the dedicated teams working to translate discoveries into better care for patients,” said Jonathan Sussman, chair of the university’s Department of Oncology. “This incredible gift will help the department lead high-impact research and attract talented investigators to pursue innovative projects that will make a meaningful difference for people facing lung cancer.”
The McNallys’ commitment to supporting health care and research extends well beyond this latest gift.
In 1997, Patrick and his siblings established The Katherine M. Collyer McNally Bursary at McMaster in honour of their mother. The bursary supports students in nursing, midwifery and physiotherapy who demonstrate financial need. Patrick also served on the board of St. Peter’s Health System, and he and Nancy have supported a range of health-care initiatives across south-central Ontario, including McNally House Hospice in Grimsby.
“Health care affects everyone, which is why we’re passionate about supporting initiatives that enhance care,” said Nancy McNally. “We’re excited to see how this new gift will help advance lung cancer research and help train the people who will care for patients in the future.”
Susan Tighe, McMaster’s president and vice-chancellor, said the impact of the McNallys’ gift will be felt across the university and beyond.
“We are so grateful to Patrick and Nancy McNally for their extraordinary generosity,” said Tighe. “Their gift reflects a remarkable commitment to improving the lives of others. Their support will help advance innovative research and strengthen care for patients across our community.”