Ottawa lawyer, health expert and philanthropist David Sweanor can point to some pretty impressive results from his giving over the past 16 years. He is encouraging others to think and act both locally and globally.

Until recently David’s giving was anonymous, so few people knew what impact it was having. But among other things it helped fund early-stage tobacco control efforts in various countries where HealthBridge (formerly called PATH Canada) was active. (David is Board Member Emeritus at HealthBridge). This included support for groups to which the organization channelled the money necessary to kick-start national efforts to reduce smoking.

This commitment to finding the people and financing to move into new global health issues not yet recognized by major funding bodies is an area where HealthBridge has a long and successful history. It’s a story that continues now with such things as our work on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through the Livable Cities program.

It might not have happened without contributions from David, who on Nov 17 will be honoured as Outstanding Individual Philanthropist in Ottawa. As he points out: “These efforts are good examples of really cost-effective health interventions. HealthBridge has facilitated ‘doing good better’, and among other things we had, and seized, the opportunity to be what until now was part of the unwritten history of global efforts aimed at reducing smoking”.

Now that sounds like a great legacy.

Watch a video clip of David discussing his philanthropy.