The Lorna Rosenstein Legacy Fund
We did it! With your help, we surpassed our 2022 fundraising goal for the fund!
Thanks to our generous donors to the Lorna Rosenstein Legacy Fund, we raised $26,808 and received a matching contribution of $25,000 from Freedom International Brokerage Co. for a total of $51,808! Thank you for your support!
Lorna Rosenstein was central in the founding of Gilda’s Toronto in 1996. To honour her memory, her commitment to lifelong volunteerism and her belief that no one should face cancer alone, the co-founders of Gilda’s Toronto have created the Lorna Rosenstein Legacy Fund.

“All she wanted to know was how she could help. And then with her engaging nature, her warmth, her humour and her smarts, she became a driving force in getting our red doors open,” remembers friend and Co-Founder.
– Linda Rechtsman.
The Lorna Rosenstein Legacy Fund is an annual fund that supports the area of greatest need at Gilda’s Toronto, in addition to recognizing a young volunteer impacted by cancer, who will be awarded for their leadership in the community through the Lorna Rosenstein Youth Volunteer Leadership Award.
Lorna lived the concept of “tzedakah” with a generosity of spirit and commitment to community volunteerism. The Lorna Rosenstein Legacy Fund will continue to fulfil Lorna’s vision of a warm, welcoming community of support that improves the lives of those impacted by a cancer diagnosis.
Freedom International Brokerage Co. has generously supported the Lorna Rosenstein Legacy Fund with a matching gift of $25,000 for donations that were made to the fund in the month of May 2022. Thank you for your support!
The Lorna Rosenstein Legacy Fund is an annual fund that supports the area of greatest need at Gilda’s Toronto, in addition to recognizing a young volunteer impacted by cancer, who will be awarded for their leadership in the community through the Lorna Rosenstein Youth Volunteer Leadership Award.
Lorna lived the concept of “tzedakah” with a generosity of spirit and commitment to community volunteerism. The Lorna Rosenstein Legacy Fund will continue to fulfil Lorna’s vision of a warm, welcoming community of support that improves the lives of those impacted by a cancer diagnosis.
Lorna was a compassionate and visionary leader. She shattered barriers and overcame obstacles, both personally and professionally, ascending ultimately to become President of Lotus Technologies, while dealing with degenerative vision loss and cancer. She was a feminist in a male dominated industry, who spoke as a “Woman of Influence” across Canada and was featured in both Maclean’s and Lifestyle Magazines. Despite her busy career, Lorna lived the concept of “tzedakah” with a generosity of spirit and commitment to community that led her to co-found Gilda’s Toronto.
“All she wanted to know was how she could help. And then with her engaging nature, her warmth, her humour and her smarts, she became a driving force in getting our red doors open,” remembers friend and Co-Founder Linda Rechtsman.
“Lorna was a presence. She had visited Gilda’s Club in New York. She knew what we were about and was up for the challenge. We relied on her expertise and skill with people to realize our collective goals. She was passionate and determined. We couldn’t have opened our doors without Lorna.”
Lorna was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1980, experiencing first-hand, the uncertainty and grief that accompanies such a diagnosis. Even so, Lorna admitted “I denied my own need for the support of people and I denied them the opportunity to support me.” Perhaps this is what ultimately drew her to create a cancer support community.
“She truly believed in the mission of Gilda’s Toronto, of members helping members through their cancer experience,” recalls Co-Founder Ricki Harris. “This was how Lorna functioned in her business and personal life. She believed that problems were solved and successes were achieved through a team effort…that you can’t be successful alone.”
Lorna’s commitment to creating an environment where people could succeed extended to Gilda’s Toronto through her mentorship and support of staff. “Though her sight was failing her, her vision was strong,” recalls Maryann Kerr, the first Executive Director of Gilda’s Toronto.
“Lorna walked me through the Old Firehall building in November 1999 in Toronto and shared the Board’s dream for Gilda’s Toronto. The building was empty, cold, dark, and smelled really bad. Somehow, she painted a picture of a warm, welcoming community and I was sold. Her passion, enthusiasm, and certainty that this would happen, lit a spark inside me and many others.”
Lorna loved conducting tours of Gilda’s Toronto, especially for new members who could benefit from cancer support services. Of Gilda’s Toronto, Lorna proudly said, “I helped create this and for every story I hear, I smile and think to myself, I made a difference.” There were lots of people who helped make Gilda’s Toronto happen, but there was no one like Lorna and she touched many lives in the process.
The Lorna Rosenstein Legacy Fund Supports –
Lorna saw first-hand the challenges of raising funds for a small charity, envisioning a fund that would support the most pressing needs facing Gilda’s Toronto. The onset of COVID-19 has transformed Gilda’s Toronto from an in person to an online community of cancer support. Program attendance has increased by 59% in this time, with each individual attending an average of four programs (up from one). New Members are presenting with increasingly complex mental health needs and more individuals are joining with latter-stage cancer diagnoses.
As the pandemic continues to create uncertainty, especially for those with a cancer diagnosis, Gilda’s Toronto must increase program availability for those with cancer-related stress. The funds raised through The Lorna Rosenstein Legacy Fund address these pressing needs by increasing program capacity as follows:
• Increased assessment time with a mental health professional for new Members;
• Additional mental health professionals engaged for program facilitation;
• New program development to support the increasingly complex mental health needs of those experiencing cancer-related stress.
Throughout the pandemic, Gilda’s Toronto has continued to build community by providing programs that relieve stress, reduce isolation & provide resources that help Members endure the challenges of these difficult times. Gifts made through the Lorna Rosenstein Legacy Fund will increase the availability of support groups and other virtual programs so that no one has to face cancer alone through this pandemic. Please make a gift to the Lorna Rosenstein Legacy Fund today.
The Lorna Rosenstein Youth Volunteer Leadership Award will be presented to a youth between the ages of 14 and 24 who has been impacted by cancer and has shown volunteer leadership in the cancer community. The award will recognize the strength and resilience that can develop in a young leader who has been impacted by a cancer diagnosis themselves or through someone close to them.
To find out more about the award or nominate someone, please visit the Lorna Rosenstein Youth Volunteer Leadership Award page.