No Gifts, Just Gratitude: Cookie’s Steadfast Support of NYGH

Cookie Gigan — social media maven, devoted grandmother, philanthropist, and tireless champion of North York General Hospital (NYGH) — knows the profound connections that form when a place of care stands by you during life’s defining moments.

“Why does NYGH mean so much to me?” Cookie begins, her voice breaking with emotion. “They’ve shown me compassion, healed me, and held my hand when I needed it most. How do you ever walk away from that? You don’t. You give back.”

No Gifts, Just Gratitude: Cookie’s Steadfast Support of NYGH

Cookie Gigan — social media maven, devoted grandmother, philanthropist, and tireless champion of North York General Hospital (NYGH)

Cookie Gigan — social media maven, devoted grandmother, philanthropist, and tireless champion of North York General Hospital (NYGH) — knows the profound connections that form when a place of care stands by you during life’s defining moments.

“Why does NYGH mean so much to me?” Cookie begins, her voice breaking with emotion. “They’ve shown me compassion, healed me, and held my hand when I needed it most. How do you ever walk away from that? You don’t. You give back.”

Cookie has given back to NYGH in countless ways—hours of volunteer work, yearly donations, and most recently, through the Say Thanks program. But this holiday season, she’s found her most meaningful way to express her gratitude yet.

Using NYGH Foundation’s personal fundraising platform, Cookie has launched a heartfelt appeal to her family, friends, and social media followers: “Please, no gifts this year! Join me in supporting NYGH through my holiday fundraiser.”

A Simple Yet Powerful Gesture

Creating the fundraiser was surprisingly easy, Cookie says. “It was a pleasure to do—so fast and simple. I clicked the ‘Fundraise’ button on the Foundation’s website, and it guided me step-by-step. Now I can share it anywhere. Without this, I’d be searching for a platform and managing it myself. This took care of everything.”

Cookie’s family embraced the idea immediately. “When I told them at dinner, they got it right away. They know how much NYGH means to me. For a year now, I’ve asked them to skip gifts—for Hanukkah, my birthday, Valentine’s Day—and instead, make a donation to the hospital in my name.”
The fundraiser is the latest chapter in Cookie’s lifelong connection to NYGH. “I’ve been coming here almost my entire life,” she says. “My children were born here. I lost a child here. I had life-saving surgery here. NYGH is part of me.”

A Moment That Changed Everything

In 2010, Cookie’s life changed forever when a tear in her bowel required emergency surgery. Overwhelmed with fear, she found solace in a late-night phone call with her surgeon, Dr. Feinberg.

“We didn’t even discuss the surgery much,” she recalls. “We talked about life, about everything. That human connection gave me the courage to pack my bag. For the first time, I felt like I’d be okay.”

The surgery was a success, and Cookie woke up with a renewed purpose to give back. She began volunteering in the Day Surgery and Endoscopy departments, spending a decade comforting anxious patients and guiding them through their visits. “They’d come in scared and leave smiling,” she says. “It wasn’t work; it was love.”

Giving Back, Always

Even when health challenges forced her to stop volunteering, Cookie found new ways to support NYGH. Through annual donations and participating in programs like Say Thanks, she has continued to express her gratitude. Her fundraiser is her latest effort to ensure the hospital can keep growing and saving lives.

“Fundraising is everything,” Cookie says passionately. “Without it, the hospital can’t buy new equipment or provide the exceptional care it’s known for. NYGH has given me so much—this is how I give back.”

Inspired by Cookie?

Start your own holiday fundraiser through the North York General Foundation. Visit our website, click the ‘Fundraise’ button, and create your personalized page in minutes. As Cookie says, “It’s fast, it’s easy, and it’s a way to give thanks.”

Start Fundraising
Support Cookie’s Fundraiser
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