Thanks to a generous gift from Robert and Greta Ho, people planning to work in palliative, or end-of-life care, will be able to provide patients with the best care possible.

The generous Vancouver couple have donated $2 million to Vancouver Coastal Health’s (VCH) Palliative Approach to Care program, an initiative that supports professionals to be deployed across VCH, increasing expertise in palliative care and improving how palliative care is provided.

“We wanted to give a gift that would enable those taking care of patients nearing the end of their lives,” Robert explains. “This money will empower those great nurses and health care staff to provide better care their patients.”

This donation is through the Robert H. N. Ho Enhancing Patient Care Fund, which fosters a culture of excellence for front-line nurses and health professionals. The program supports education and professional development that provides a long-term learning environment for staff, improving services and patient care. The gift will help hire specialized palliative care clinical leads to educate health care colleagues in each of VCH’s Communities of Care: Vancouver, Richmond and Coastal (North Shore and coastal communities).

“Robert and Greta have a great history of generous giving,” says Barbara Grantham, President and CEO of the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation. “This gift will go a long way in preparing our nurses and staff better to help patients, and their families, in palliative care – those patients, especially, need special care. Robert and Greta’s passion and vision is helping us transform health care in this province.

“And these clinical leads will champion palliative care and shift VCH culture for the better,” she adds.