A landmark philanthropic gift has permanently secured the future of a vital Calgary support service for individuals and families navigating advanced illness. Hospice Calgary announced that a substantial donation from prominent local philanthropist Alex Osten will fund its Osten-Victor Living With Advanced Illness Centre in perpetuity, eliminating the need for future fundraising for its core operations.
A Legacy of Support Honouring a Lifelong Partnership
The donation, announced on January 14, 2026, is so significant that the organization has renamed the facility in honour of the donor and his late partner. The centre, located in south Calgary, is now known as the Osten-Victor Living with Advanced Illness Centre, paying tribute to Alex Osten and Buddy Victor.
"This is huge," said Fiona McColl, executive director of Hospice Calgary. "We have fundraised for 40 years and found different ways to keep the operations going, and this endowment provides ongoing sustainability and consistent funding at a time when we know that the health-care system is strained."
While the exact dollar amount of the gift remains confidential, its impact is clear: it creates a permanent financial foundation for the centre's essential community programs. McColl explained that disclosing the sum might create a mistaken public perception that the broader organization is fully funded, noting that Hospice Calgary's other centres still rely on community fundraising.
What the Osten-Victor Centre Provides to the Community
Hospice Calgary operates three distinct centres, each serving a critical need. The Rosedale Hospice offers end-of-life care for adult cancer patients. The Children’s Grief Centre provides specialized counselling for young people.
The newly renamed Osten-Victor Centre fulfills a different, equally crucial role. It focuses on community support and education for thousands of patients and caregivers living with advanced illnesses, not just those at the end of life. Its services include:
- Individual and group counselling for patients and families.
- Guidance for navigating the complex health-care system.
- Training and presentations for other organizations and healthcare workers on advanced illness challenges and resources.
The secure funding has already enabled the revival of a popular in-person connection program for people with advanced cancer, a initiative paused during the COVID-19 pandemic. "It's something that this new endowment fund has allowed us to pursue," said program manager Jacklynn Cote.
Endowment Brings Stability and Growth Potential
The perpetual endowment fund represents more than just financial security; it is a catalyst for growth and deeper community partnerships. Jacklynn Cote highlighted the shift from precarious grant-based funding to assured, long-term support.
"They know that we're going to be here and continue to be here and grow our community of partnerships over time, and that we're not in danger of losing funding the way we might have been when we were subsisting on small grants," Cote stated.
The donors behind the centre's name, Alex Osten and the late Buddy Victor, shared a remarkable 67-year partnership. Originally members of the 1950s doo-wop group The Rover Boys, the couple later became successful entrepreneurs, bringing Weight Watchers to Alberta and Saskatchewan in 1967. After selling the business in 2013, they dedicated themselves to philanthropy, supporting numerous causes including hospices in Calgary and Edmonton, the Art Gallery of Alberta, the Osten-Victor Alberta Tennis Centre, and the Glenbow Museum.
This historic gift ensures their legacy of care and community support will continue to benefit Calgarians facing advanced illness for generations to come.
