$177 million in gifts from death camp teen survivor helps propel public hospital to become third-best medical institution in the world in 2025

University Health Network (UHN), specifically Toronto General Hospital, was ranked the third-best hospital in the world by Newsweek magazine for the second consecutive year in 2025.

The medical college was founded in 1869 and chartered as UHN is Canada’s No. 1 hospital and the world’s No. 1 publicly funded hospital. With 10 sites and more than 20,000 members of Team UHN, UHN consists of Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, The Michener Institute of Education at UHN and West Park Healthcare Centre. As Canada’s top research hospital, the scope of research and complexity of cases at UHN have made it a national and international source for discovery, education, and patient care.

They provide clinical care to thousands of patients annually across three major health networks, namely the University Health Network, Sinai Health, and Women’s College Hospital, as well as the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and Kensington Health.

In addition to having a highly productive research program, they excel in their education offerings, including world-renowned fellowship programs and residency training opportunities.

It is the top publicly funded hospital globally, surpassing many private institutions.

UHN’s success is attributed to its world-leading departments, such as the Sprott Department of Surgery and the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, as well as its innovative use of artificial intelligence in medical research.

The ranking highlights UHN’s healthcare, education, and research leadership, solidifying its position as Canada’s No. 1 hospital system.

UHN megadonor Peter Munk (after whom the Cardiac Center is named) gave over $177 million to the medical center was born in Hungary in 1927 and endured a harrowing experience during the Holocaust.

In 1944, when he was 16, Nazi Germany invaded Hungary and began deporting Hungarian Jews to concentration camps.

The Munk family, part of Budapest’s well-off Jewish community, managed to escape this fate by securing places on the famous “Kasztner train,” organized by Rezso Kasztner.

This train carried 1,684 Jews to safety in Switzerland through negotiations with the Nazis, involving bribes of gold, jewelry, and cash.

The journey was not without peril.

The train was initially diverted to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, where passengers were kept for weeks while Kasztner continued bargaining for their release.

Eventually, they reached Switzerland in two groups between August and December 1944.

Tragically, Peter’s mother, who had divorced his father and stayed behind in Budapest, was later deported to Auschwitz and perished.

This traumatic period profoundly shaped Peter Munk’s life.

After the war, he emigrated to Canada in 1948 and went on to build a remarkable career as an entrepreneur and philanthropist. He was also awarded the prestigious Order of Canada.

Peter Munk was featured in an exclusive cover feature in Lifestyles Magazine/Meaningful Influence.

Lifestyles Magazine/Meaningful Influence is a proud supporter of UHN.