An apple a day usually keeps the doctor away, but staff at Vancouver General Hospital were given an apple on Wednesday to celebrate VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation’s milestone of reaching a half-billion dollars in donations.

The foundation raised the $500 million since it was formed in 1980 through philanthropic contributions (70 per cent), lotteries (eight per cent) and charitable events (five per cent), with the remaining 17 per cent coming from investment and other income.

“This isn’t about us, this is to acknowledge the thousands of people who have supported us over the years,” said CEO Barbara Grantham.

The foundation, which raised $61 million last year, was formed to carry out fundraising for VGH and UBC hospitals and G.F. Strong rehabilitation centre because the hospitals needed a separate entity to issue tax receipts.

Funds raised are used for facilities, research and equpment, including Jack the Robot, Western Canada’s first surgical robot.

VGH’s research on prostate and ovarian cancers is among the top three in the world, said Grantham.

Most donations, small and big, including endowments with naming rights for the Jim Pattison Pavilion, come from individuals and corporations, said Grantham.

One of the foundation’s most high-profile fundraisers, the annual lottery that raffles off million-dollar homes and flashy cars, raised $19 million in ticket sales, minus $15 million in expenses, including prizes, for a net gain of $4 million.

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