When Elizabeth Johnston donated a kidney to her sister in 1984, she couldn’t imagine this act of love would inspire a legacy gift ensuring her generosity lives on forever.
Now 85, Elizabeth embodies a lifetime of dedication to others. After graduating from nursing school at Toronto Western Hospital in 1961, she launched a career built on compassion. But it is her profound love for her sister Marianne that truly defines her journey.
Two years younger than Elizabeth, Marianne was a physical education teacher who developed severe diabetes at 21. For two decades, she suffered increasingly serious complications – including two major heart attacks requiring triple bypass surgery, with diabetes complicating her recovery. By age 40, months of kidney dialysis couldn’t prevent her condition from deteriorating further.
There was no question about it: she needed a kidney transplant.
Elizabeth stepped forward to help, but a diabetic specialist challenged her motivation: “Don’t do it because she’s your sister. Don’t do it for moral reasons. You need to really want to do it.
“Somehow it really triggered me and I felt I knew what I wanted to do,” Elizabeth reflects. “I had no doubts after that at all.”
An incredible gift sparked by exceptional care
For the next decade, Marianne thrived under the exceptional care of the Multi-Organ Transplant Unit, now the Ajmera Transplant Centre, at Toronto General Hospital. Though health challenges continued, she lived a full life surrounded by family and the dedicated medical team who became like an extended family.
When Marianne passed away at 52, her memory sparked something profound in Elizabeth. Determined to honour her sister’s legacy and the remarkable staff who cared for her, she established the Marianne Johnston Scholarship in 1995, awarded annually to nurses in UHN’s transplant unit for kidney and urology care.
The first recipient in 1997 held special meaning – one of Marianne’s own nurses. “I found that very exciting,” Elizabeth says about this beautiful circle of care connecting her sister’s treatment to her lasting tribute.
For nearly three decades, the Marianne Johnston Scholarship has recognized incredible nurses who carry forward the same spirit of dedication that defined both sisters’ lives.
The most recent recipient, Ilham Elias, expressed her gratitude. “Receiving the Marianne Johnston Scholarship is an incredible honor. It represents not just recognition of my work, but a reminder of the profound impact we can have on patients and families during their most vulnerable moments. I am especially honoured that this award recognizes my research and passion for enhancing the care and health outcomes of kidney transplant recipients, like Marianne. To be connected to this legacy of caring is truly humbling.”
Inspiring excellence – forever
Now, Elizabeth has taken her commitment even further. By including a legacy gift in her will, she ensures the scholarship continues in perpetuity.
“I’m just so grateful for the care and caring at UHN,” Elizabeth shares. “It’s a very rewarding feeling to know that you are giving back.” Through her planned gift, Elizabeth ensures her extraordinary life of service continues long after she’s gone. Her story reminds us that legacy giving transcends money – it is about values, memories, and love inspiring generations. The Marianne Johnston Scholarship will forever honour two remarkable sisters while inspiring excellence in patient care.
Any amount donated makes a difference in patients’ lives, and life insurance is just one way to leave a transformative legacy for the next generation of health care. To learn more, visit UHNfoundation.ca/mylegacy.
