A solid foundation for GIVING

By Lisa Manfield
Photography Lia Crowe + Sheila Say photography
Styling sarah d’arcey

The VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation Millionaire Lottery is an exciting way to support much-needed medical services, research and health care advancements. And you could win a solid foundation of your own

It can be challenging to envision how our own small actions and contributions can power hugely impactful solutions. But the ongoing demands of the COVID-19 pandemic have truly laid bare the power of collective action, as British Columbians have rallied to do their part—in whatever way possible—to support essential service providers and health care workers in these times of need.

For the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation, making the most of every contribution has always been a critical mindset when it comes to fulfilling their vision: to ensure our health care system is available to every British Columbian who needs it. This goal has been made more challenging with the increased demands throughout the pandemic. 

“​​COVID-19 amplified how vital health care is to our community,” says Angela Chapman, president and CEO, VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation. “We quickly pivoted to help ensure our health care partners had the resources they needed.”

Over the past two years, the foundation has put donor contributions toward the establishment of two COVID-specific funds. 

The first is a research fund designed to support the deployment of virtual health care tools, accelerated research and development for COVID-19 treatments and therapies, as well as work to limit the spread of misinformation. 

The second, a COVID-19 response fund, has provided health care teams with the ability to purchase needed equipment, improve infrastructure and patient support, and enable health care staff to care for their own needs as well—all vital initiatives in these challenging times. And it’s all made possible due to the support of generous donors.

Over four decades of health care support

For over 40 years, the foundation has worked together with donors to make a real difference in BC’s health care system by ensuring these essential services remain sustainable and available to everyone who needs them. 

As Vancouver Coastal Health’s primary philanthropic partner, the ​​foundation has literally transformed health care in BC, contributing over $1 billion in philanthropic funding for VGH, UBC Hospital and several critical health care centres, including GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and Vancouver Community Health Services. 

This year, in addition to its COVID-19 support, the foundation was able to fund the completion of 16 new state-of-the-art operating rooms and improvements to facilities and programs at UBC Hospital via its $60 million Future of Surgery campaign. 

It’s also been focused on powering services at the cross-section of mental health and substance use by supporting the development of a Withdrawal Management Centre, which will open in 2025. 

“This purpose-built facility will aggregate many of the substance use resources currently scattered across Metro Vancouver and put them under one roof,” Chapman says. “These resources will provide clients and their families with an improved treatment and support system and lessen the chances of vulnerable people falling between the gaps.”

Meanwhile, the foundation’s Brain Breakthroughs campaign is focused on providing funding for medical research into neuro-degenerative diseases, and patient-care programs for Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. 

But for Chapman, another pressing area of concern is also becoming apparent. 

“As we emerge from the pandemic, the single biggest challenge will be developing, attracting and retaining health care professionals,” she says. “Our donors can play a vital role through funding fellowships, providing seed funding for research and supporting nursing bursaries, all of which help our hospitals and health centres attract exceptionally skilled and qualified professionals.”

A win-win for all

This year’s VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation Millionaire Lottery is the perfect opportunity to contribute to one of these valuable causes, and, at the same time, have a chance at winning one of nine incredible prizes, says Todd Talbot, former host of Vancouver’s Love It or List It, and spokesperson for the Millionaire Lottery for over five years. 

“Last year, ticket sales were higher and sold out faster than usual,” he says. ”People are definitely more engaged.” 

With a high level of awareness of the need for health care support, British Columbians are stepping up and contributing to the cause. 

For Todd, it’s not only been rewarding to see an increase in support, it’s also been inspiring to find new ways of making the lottery accessible at a time when in-person tours and live experiences haven’t been possible due to pandemic restrictions. 

“We pivoted to shooting filmed walkthroughs of these homes so people can look at them like they do on HGTV,” he says. 

It’s been a fun return to being in front of the camera for Todd, who also launched his own video podcast focused on raising support for small businesses hit hard by the pandemic. 

“It’s been an interesting time to look for small, grassroots opportunities to lend a hand,” he says.

One of nine spectacular grand prizes

Kevin Basran and Ravi Sidhu—co-owners of Brickhouse Building, the team behind the South Surrey prize home—are also proud to support the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation Millionaire Lottery. 

“We all, somewhere down the line, are connected to someone who has been in need of the medical services that this foundation funds,” Kevin says. “My business partner Ravi and I felt that if our home could provide that resource for the foundation and help them raise money through ticket sales, then it’s a win-win.” 

The 3,765-square-foot four-bedroom home is a gorgeous open-concept modern farmhouse-style structure with some unique features that optimize functionality and add a dose of flair. 

“We wanted features that we thought would stand out and make the home appealing to the eye, but also functional,” Kevin says. “Families now spend a lot of time between the family room and the kitchen, and that extends out to the patio.”

The home’s large kitchen, purpose-built for entertaining, extends by way of sliding doors into a custom outdoor barbecue space with a fireplace and sitting area, as well as a putting green in the backyard beyond. 

The open-concept family room, too, opens onto a custom, infinity-edge hot tub outside. And features like custom milled post and beams, custom cabinetry with gold hardware, and the extensive use of designer wallpaper add visual interest.

The Millionaire Lottery has provided funding to the foundation for over 25 years and raised over $60 million to ensure essential services remain sustainable and available to everyone who needs them. 

To buy your tickets for a chance to win one of the nine grand prize options, including a $2.7 million cash prize, or one of the more than 3,000 prizes available in the lottery’s record-breaking 50/50 draw this year, go to millionairelottery.com. 

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積極購買溫哥華綜合醫院暨卑詩大學醫院基金會百萬樂透彩票是支持亟需的醫療服務、研究與添置現代化醫療設備的最佳途徑，而且還有機會贏取百萬大獎。

很難設想每一次募捐和每一筆捐款如何推動本省的醫療保健服務，但持續的新冠疫情將全省民衆凝聚起來，衆志成城，全力支援我們的醫療系統及醫護人員。

對溫哥華綜合醫院暨卑詩大學醫院基金會（VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation）來說，充分利用每一筆捐款，確保可以幫助到每一名有需要的省民是他們的願景所在。隨著疫情期間醫療需求的增加，這一目標變得更具挑戰性。

“新冠疫情之下，醫療保健對社區的重要性日益凸顯。我們迅速調整方向，確保醫療系統擁有所需的一切資源。”溫哥華綜合醫院暨卑詩大學醫院基金會裁兼首席執行官 Angela Chapman 說。

過去兩年，基金會用捐款建立兩個與新冠病毒相關的專項基金：研究基金與應對基金。

研究基金旨在加速對治療方法的研發，支持部署虛擬醫療器械，以及努力限制病毒傳播；應對基金則確保滿足醫療保健團隊的所需儀器，改善基礎設施以及對病人的支持，并且保護好醫療保健人員自身。所有這些都是應對新管疫情的重要舉措，這一切都因為善心人士的慷慨捐贈成為可能。

超越四十載的支持

40 多年來，基金會與捐贈者一起努力，通過確保醫療基本服務的可持續發展，以及向每一個有需要的人提供服務，令卑詩省的醫療系統真正發揮作用。
作為溫哥華沿岸衛生局的主要慈善合作伙伴，基金會對卑詩省的醫療保健貢獻卓著，為溫哥華綜合醫院、卑詩大學醫院和一些重要的醫療保健中心，比如 GF Strong 康復中心、溫哥華沿岸衛生研究所和溫哥華社區衛生服務提供了超過 10 億元的慈善資金。
今年，除了支持對抗新冠疫情之外，基金會還籌集 6000 萬元，推行外科展望計劃，興建 16 間最先進的全新手術室，並改善了卑詩大學醫院的設施和服務項目。
另外，基金會還資助設立 Withdrawal 管理中心，專注於提供精神和癖癮綜合醫療服務，計劃 2025 年投入運作。
Chapman 說：“這個專門設施將整合分散在大溫地區的資源，為有需要的病人及其家庭提供一個更好的治療和支援系統，更好地向弱勢人群及時伸出援手。”
同時，基金會還對腦神經退化的醫學研究提供資金，並為阿爾茨海默病、痴呆症、帕金森病和多發性硬化症患者的護理提供資金。
對 Chapman 來説，留住專業人士也變得越發緊迫。

“疫情結束後 ，我們最大的挑戰將是如何吸引並留住醫療衛生專業人士。我們籌集的善款可用來資助研究人員，提供研究經費，以及支持設立護理專業助學金等，幫助我們的醫院和保健中心吸引更多技術精湛的專業人員。”

打造一個雙贏的局面

今年的溫哥華綜合醫院暨卑詩大學醫院基金會百萬樂透彩票為公衆提供一個良機，對本省醫療衛生行業做出支援的同時，還有有機會贏得令人難以置信的大獎——九個獎項任選其一。

溫哥華地產節目“Love It or List It”的前主持人，擔任百萬樂透彩票發言人五年有餘的 Todd Talbot 說：“疫情令人們認識到醫療服務的重要性，也都更加支持本省的醫療系統。去年的彩票大受歡迎，很快便銷售一空。”

對 Todd 來說，公衆對樂透彩票的熱情令他深受感動，而疫情之下，大家無法親自前往參觀體驗大獎房也讓他受到啓發。

“我們對這些房屋進行錄影，這樣人們就可以像在 HGTV 上那樣看到它們了。”

Todd 還推出了自己的視頻播客，爲那些在疫情中受到嚴重打擊的小企業尋求支持。

九項大獎之一

這座位於南素里的住宅成爲今年溫哥華綜合醫院暨卑詩大學醫院基金會百萬樂透彩票九項大獎之一。Brickhouse Building 公司的共同擁有者— Kevin Basran 和 Ravi Sidhu 爲此倍感自豪。

“無論身在何方，我們所有人都與這個基金會資助的醫療服務息息相關。”Kevin 說，“如果我們的房子可以為基金會提供資源，幫助他們籌集到資金，這對我和商業伙伴 Ravi 來説，將是一個雙贏的結果。”

這座開放式、具有現代鄉村風格的住宅共 3,765 平方尺，有四間臥室，配備一些獨特的設施，優化其功能的同時，也都令房屋更加富麗堂皇。
Kevin 說：“我們希望這座住宅有一些能夠脫穎而出的特點，不僅外觀可人，同時具有完善的功能。現代家庭在家庭活動室和廚房消磨更多時間，而且延伸到露臺。”

因此，寬敞的廚房凸顯了其娛樂性功能，通過一扇滑動門即來到一個定制的戶外燒烤空間，有一個壁爐和休息區，以及一個鋪設了人造草皮的後院。
開放式的家庭活動室也可直通定制的戶外熱水按摩池。同時利用定制加工的柱子和橫梁、金色的定制櫥櫃以及設計師精選的壁紙增加其視覺效果。
基金會售賣百萬樂透彩票超過25年，共籌集善款超過 6000 萬元，為每一個有需要的省民提供具有可持續性的基本醫療服務。

購買彩票將有機會贏得包括 270 萬元現金在内的九項大獎之一，或今年破紀錄的 50/50 抽獎中的 3000 多個獎項之一，請訪問網站 millionairelottery.com。