Pharmaceutical company was first corporate partner to donate to capital campaign to build Residence and is now first to hit milestone
KIRKLAND, QC, Dec. 2, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - On Giving Tuesday, the national day for philanthropy, the West Island Palliative Care Residence is honouring its original corporate donor, Pfizer Canada Inc., for reaching the milestone of $1 million in donations to the Residence over the years.
"Pfizer was the first company to donate to our original capital campaign when the Residence was just an idea in 1998 and has remained a loyal and valuable partner in our activities ever since," said Teresa Dellar, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Residence. "We thank them most sincerely for now being the first of our corporate donors to reach the total of $1 million in cumulative donations."
"Our long-standing partnership with the West Island Palliative Care Residence has contributed to providing multi-faceted 24-hour care to thousands of patients in the end-stage of their life," said Rhonda O'Gallagher, Head of Corporate Affairs, Pfizer Canada Inc. "We're proud that our support over the years has allowed the Residence to grow to meet the palliative care needs of the Montreal community."
Originally a nine-bed facility, in 2012 the Residence more than doubled its capacity by opening an additional 14 beds. This expansion made the Residence Canada's largest freestanding palliative care facility.
Pfizer Canada's involvement with the Residence extends beyond the company's financial gifts. Numerous Pfizer colleagues and retirees are and have been volunteers at the Residence.
The West Island Palliative Care Residence is an independent community institution that provides its services without charge to patients or families. The Quebec government provides approximately one-third of the annual budget, but the Residence, through its Foundation, raises $3 million a year to provide its services. Funds raised go towards employing healthcare professionals highly skilled in disease and pain management as well as staff to support families throughout the bereavement process.
About palliative care
Palliative care does not hasten death – as do euthanasia and assisted suicide – but ensures it is as comfortable, dignified and pain-free as possible. It is a conservative estimate that palliative care could be useful in more than half of Canadian deaths, or more than 125,000 patients per year. As proportionately fewer Canadians die suddenly or quickly from accidents or acute illnesses, more face end of life with chronic illnesses or diseases such as cancer that can extend over a relatively long period of time. Many dying patients end up in hospital ERs during the last weeks of life, an indicator of poor-quality end-of-life care and a very expensive and unsatisfactory alternative to palliative care.
About Pfizer Canada Inc.
As a major corporate charitable donor in Canada, Pfizer Canada is a proud member of Imagine Canada and its Caring Company program. Pfizer Canada's Community Investment Program supports many non-profit organizations and projects across the country with a total investment of approximately $16 million annually. To learn more about Pfizer Canada, visit pfizer.ca or you can follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/PfizerCA) or Facebook (facebook.com/Pfizer.Canada).
About the West Island Palliative Care Residence
The West Island Palliative Care Residence is an independent, community-based, non-profit institution, accredited by the Quebec government to provide end-of-life palliative care services to residents of the West Island of Montreal. The Residence allows terminally ill patients to die in comfort and with dignity in a warm, home-like environment, close to their family, and in their community. It is not part of or affiliated with any hospital or health institution and services are provided without charge. The Residence has 23 beds in two pavilions, making it the largest freestanding palliative care residence in Canada. Since opening in 2002, the Residence has welcomed more than 2,700 patients in the final stages of ALS, multiple sclerosis, cardiovascular disease and cancer, as well as 12,000 of their family members. To learn more, visit www.palliativecareresidence.com
Image with caption: "From left to right: Teresa Dellar, Co-Founder and Executive Director, West Island Palliative Care Residence, Allen Van der Wee, General Manager, Global Established Pharma Business, Pfizer Canada Inc., Rhonda O’Gallagher, Head of Corporate Affairs, Pfizer Canada Inc. and Robert Havill, President of the West Island Palliative Care Residence Foundation. (CNW Group/West Island Palliative Care Residence)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20141202_C5961_PHOTO_EN_8826.jpg
SOURCE: West Island Palliative Care Residence
Joanne Myers, Director of Development, West Island Palliative Care Residence, Tel.: 514 693-1718, ext. 234, Mobile: 514 978-0793
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