It’s a “transformative donation” that will help in the health care for a lot of people.
This week the Delta Hospital and Community Health (DHCH) Foundation announced that they have received a donation of $1,000,000 from former Delta resident, David Harris.
The Foundation says this “exceptional gift will support the future advancement of long-term care at the Delta Hospital Campus of Care.”
The donation is in honour of Harris’ late mother Pauline Harris.
“I grew up on a farm in Delta, having left to attend UBC in 1959, I now live in Vancouver, but my roots are still in Delta,” said Harris. “It is now time to give something back to the community that raised me. I am making this gift in honour of my mother Pauline Harris. She spent her last years in Mountain View Manor, where she received excellent care.
“Looking after our seniors, as they start needing permanent care, should be a priority for all of us. The government cannot do it all. Those of us that have been fortunate enough to have accumulated some assets over their lifetime, need to think about giving back to the community that raised us.”
Harris and his family have deep roots in Delta.
Harris shared that his great grandfather J.B. Burr, arrived with Thomas and William Ladner in 1860 and received the crown grant for his farm in 1861. That same farmland is still in the Harris and Burr families.
According to the Foundation, over the past several years, it has become increasingly evident that Delta’s seniors need additional and more readily accessible health care services in our community.
In 2001, Delta’s seniors comprised only 11 per cent of the population. It is expected that by 2024, this number will rise to 41 per cent. In response, DHCH Foundation is prioritizing a Seniors Care Fund to support needs that will advance the best care, equipment, and resources for this important patient population.
“Delta is such a special community. I continue to be humbled by generosity of our donors and am especially honoured to have received this gift from David Harris,” said Foundation executive director Lisa Hoglund. “Delta’s seniors are a top priority for our Foundation. This remarkable donation will significantly impact the future of seniors care in our community. Our goal is to ensure Delta’s seniors have the opportunity to stay in the community they love, surrounded by friends, family, and exceptional healthcare services.”
