From August 25 to 30, 2026, a 12-member delegation led by Prof. Cheng Yongzhong, Council Chair of West China Hospital, Sichuan University (WCH), visited Canada for academic exchange. The delegation visited internationally renowned institutions including The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto, University Health Network (UHN), Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and the Asian Business and Management Program at York University. The delegation also made special visits to the Omar Kilborn Family Memorial Hall and the Bethune Memorial House. During the visit, the delegation successfully held two events—an overseas talent recruitment fair and a WCH alumni gathering—achieving fruitful outcomes in academic cooperation, talent recruitment, and cultural exchange.
On the morning of August 26, the delegation visited The Hospital for Sick Children, ranked first globally among pediatric specialty hospitals, and held talks with its President and CEO, Dr. Ronald Cohn. The two sides held in-depth discussions on talent development, disciplinary exchange, the construction of a children's medical center, and deepening institution-level partnerships. They jointly reviewed nearly 20 years of collaboration in the field of pediatric congenital heart disease. Experts from SickKids have visited WCH more than ten times, participating in surgical guidance, teaching rounds, and case discussions, providing important support for the development of WCH's pediatric congenital heart disease subspecialty. The delegation also held specialized exchanges with leaders in critical care medicine, medical education, mental health, and hematology-oncology, and toured the Applied Genomics Research Center.
Visiting The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto
From August 27 to 28, the delegation visited University Health Network, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. At UHN, the delegation exchanged views with Professor Thomas L. Forbes, Surgeon-in-Chief, and Andrea Etherington, Senior Director of Education Strategy, on topics including medical education and nursing practice. At Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, the delegation held in-depth discussions with Dr. Keith Steward, President, Dr. Gang Zheng, Associate Director, and Dr. Lillian Siu, former President of the American Association for Cancer Research, on clinical cancer research and precision medicine. At Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, the two sides focused on exchanges in the development of trauma centers, brain sciences, and geriatric health. The delegation also visited the Asian Business and Management Program at York University to discuss interdisciplinary collaboration between medicine and the humanities, as well as research and management training.
Visiting the University Health Network in Toronto
Visiting Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
On the evening of August 28, the delegation held a Global Talent Recruitment Fair (Toronto) at the University of Toronto, recruiting for positions in clinical medicine, basic medicine, and medical engineering. The event attracted more than 60 young scholars from multiple Canadian universities, hospitals, and research institutions, with lively on-site exchanges.
Holding a global talent promotion event (Toronto stop)
During their stay in Canada, the delegation made a special visit to the Omar Kilborn Family Memorial Hall. As an important founder of West China Union University, the Kilborn family's trans-Pacific legacy witnessed the origins and continuation of WCH's century-long foundation. At the Bethune Memorial House, the delegation reflected on Dr. Norman Bethune's spirit of selfless internationalism. During the visit, the delegation also attended an alumni gathering, reconnecting with more than 40 Canadian friends and WCH alumni, including Ms. Marrion Walker (Huang Mali), granddaughter of Dr. Kilborn.
Visiting the West China Omar Kilborn Family Memorial Hall
Taking a group photo with Warren Bethune in front of Bethune Memorial House
