‘That’s the Sherman way’—is what members of that family say to describe their focused determination to get things done. When you combine that determination with their commitment to philanthropy and helping others—great things happen. Case in point: a generous $500,000 commitment to fund Crohn’s and Colitis Canada’s Gutsy Support services from 2025-2029.
Lewis and Ruth Sherman established their family foundation in 1986, with initial areas of investment being education, healthcare and combatting the effects of poverty. A new generation of Sherman family members and trusted advisors are now involved, bringing fresh perspectives to those priorities.
Lesley Sherman, one of Lewis’ and Ruth’s granddaughters, is the Executive Director of The Lewis & Ruth Sherman Foundation and brings her perspective of someone who has lived with colitis since she was 14 years old.
She describes how her personal experience and work at the foundation intersect: “Living every day with colitis, I know what I went through and sometimes still go through. If we can have any sort of impact in bettering the lives of people like me or their caregivers—that would be such an achievement.”
Lesley continues: “Our wish is to not only lessen people’s suffering but to help in any way we can to ensure that people are not just surviving but thriving—regardless of their diagnosis.”
That desire to help people living with the diseases is why the foundation has focused its donation on four Crohn’s and Colitis Canada programs that educate and support those affected with a $500,000 five-year gift to support the following programs in English and French from 2025-2029:
- Help Centre – enhancement of the existing service that answers questions from the public by phone, email or chat
- Ask the Expert webinars – latest health information offered in partnership with medical experts
- Crohn’s and Colitis Connect – online community that offers those directly affected the opportunity to engage with others going through the same thing
- Gutsy Peer Support – mentoring to provide emotional support and guidance
Lesley has a first-hand appreciation of the fact that Crohn's and colitis are isolating diseases and the services the foundation is supporting can decrease that isolation, shame and stigma. She had to face significant adversity due to her illness, being forced to stay home for two and a half years of high school, missing out on many meaningful moments and experiences, all while being faced with cruel judgement from schoolmates.
She says: “Some thoughts I used to have were: Why me? Why did I get this disease? I haven’t done anything to deserve this. What’s wrong with me? And you can either wallow in it, or you can accept your reality and do all that you can to make the best of your situation and not feel that isolation.”
Lesley explains her hopes: “If our gift is able to expedite that journey or make someone feel less alone or connect people with potential solutions, that would be a real achievement and something that I would be very proud of.”
Crohn’s and Colitis Canada shares Lesley’s dream of helping more people by expanding these successful programs to reach even more people over the coming years, and is determined to make that shared dream a reality.
Lesley as a child with her Bubbie and Zaidy (grandmother and grandfather who created The Lewis & Ruth Sherman Foundation)
Lesley in London, England, where she lived for several years
Lesley in Spain, having fun outside the Hotel ‘Colon’ (Spanish word for Columbus)