Thanks to an unprecedented gift to VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation, people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma will have a better chance of recovery in BC.

An anonymous donor has given $29 million for research and treatment of COPD and asthma. This is the largest estate gift ever given to the Foundation.

“This is an opportunity to create real change for those with COPD and asthma,” says Barbara Grantham, President and CEO of VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation. “This gift will create a hub of respiratory care and health research excellence in Western Canada.”

The funds will go towards three key areas that will help move research from lab to bedside in the most effective and impactful way: effective infrastructure, leading experts and clinical researchers as well as innovative equipment and resources. This gift will not only save lives, it will also improve the quality of life for people living with lung diseases

“It’s a phenomenal opportunity to address this problem,” says Dr. Mark FitzGerald, a respirologist at Vancouver Coastal Health. “It’s an opportunity to further enhance the current research in the area. It’s an unprecedented opportunity to look at helping the many people with these respiratory problems. It will give us a chance to recruit and retain world-class investigators of COPD and asthma. This is also an opportunity to reach out to our partners at other hospitals, foundations and others for an even bigger impact.”

“COPD is very common,” adds Dr. Mark FitzGerald. “It’s the number one cause of hospitalization in Canada for medical reasons apart from pregnancies. This donation will enable us to take the research and provide better care and treatments.”

COPD is the third largest cause of death in Canada. Asthma has increased two-and-a-half times in the past 30 years – it affects more than seven per cent of British Columbians. Health care for COPD currently costs $1.5 billion a year.[:zh]

谨代表温哥华综合医院塈卑诗大学医院基金会 (VGH＆UBC Foundation) 衷心感谢这份史无前例的捐赠，让卑诗省患有慢性阻塞性肺病（COPD）和哮喘的病患者有更好的复原机会。

一名匿名捐助者为慢性阻塞性肺疾病和哮喘的研究和治疗捐赠了二千九百万元的善款。这是基金会获得前所未有最大的遗产捐赠。

温哥华综合医院塈卑诗大学医院基金会总裁兼首席执行官姜娴Barbara Grantham说：“这是一个能为让卑诗省患有慢性阻塞性肺病和哮喘病患者带来实际改变的机会。 这项捐赠将为加拿大西岸兴建一所卓超的呼吸系统护理和健康研究中心。”

这些资金将会使用于三个关键领域，以最有效和最有影响力的方式，将研究工作从实验室转移到病床旁边：有效的基础设施、主导的专家和临床研究人员以及创新的设备和资源。这项捐赠不仅可以拯救生命，还可以提高肺部疾病患者的生活质量。

温哥华沿岸卫生局呼吸专学家马克·菲茨杰拉德(Mark FitzGerald) 医生说：“这是一个非常难得的机会去处理这个问题。借此我们可以进一步加强目前在这方面的研究工作。这确实是一个前所未有的良机，去帮助许多患有呼吸道疾病的人。同时也给我们一个机会去招募和保留着这些世界级慢性阻塞性肺疾病和哮喘研究员。与此同时我们更可以与其他医院、基金会和其他机构的合作伙伴联系，携手创造更有影响力的成果。”

“慢性阻塞性肺病很常见，”马克·菲茨杰拉德(Mark FitzGerald) 医生补充说：“在加拿大，除了怀孕生产以外，肺部疾病是住院治疗的头号原因。这项捐款让我们能够进行研究，并提供更好的保健护理和治疗。”

慢性阻塞性肺病是加拿大第三大死因。哮喘在过去三十年间增加了2.5倍 – 影响了超过7％的卑诗省民。而慢性阻塞性肺病的医疗护理目前每年需要十五亿元。