“Life is Good,” as Roon would always say…

Michael Rooney was a patient at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute for over 15 years. Throughout that time, he received exceptional care from the entire team—especially the compassionate and capable nurses, as well as Dr. Chan and Dr. Green.

Michael often said the Heart Institute was on par with the world-class hospitals he’d known since childhood—Mass General, Mayo Clinic, SickKids, and Texas Children’s.

When Michael passed away suddenly at age 52, the outpouring of support inspired us to establish the Michael Rooney & Family Endowment Fund—a “forever” gift to honour a man who will forever be in our hearts. It’s also a legacy for our children: David, Sarah, and John.

In 2012, we started the Run for Roon as part of Ottawa Race Weekend. Since then, our team has taken part in every distance—from 2K to full marathons—all in support of the Endowment Fund.

We’re proud to share that the Fund has now reached $106,000 and continues to support vital priorities at the Heart Institute each year.

Michael would be so proud of what we’ve built together.

Please consider supporting the Run for Roon and the Michael Rooney & Family Endowment Fund. Every step helps save lives.