Be an angel, give an angel

When our Vancouver & UBC Hospital Foundation approached grateful patient Liz Eisner about participating in this year’s Angel Campaign, Liz’s response was an enthusiastic “Yes!”

Having been diagnosed with a rare abdominal cancer in 2013, Liz was the first patient in B.C. to undergo HIPEC (Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy) – a complex, innovative procedure performed at VGH by surgical oncologist Dr. Yarrow McConnell. One year later, Liz is back teaching in her classroom, and happily helping the Foundation raise awareness about our Angel campaign.

“I had a whole team of angels supporting me when I was a patient at VGH,” Liz says. “Dr. McConnell and her team were essential in saving my life. But they couldn’t have done it without the donations that helped [the Foundation] purchase the equipment essential to my surgery and recovery,” she adds.

Between now and January 5, we will be honouring the angels in our lives. The “Be an Angel, Give an Angel” campaign allows participants to recognize someone special with a donation and an angel ornament with space to write a personalized message. Since 2001, the campaign has raised more than $2 million in support of our hospitals’ most urgent needs.

In the weeks ahead, our winter wonderland of trees located in the Jim Pattison Pavilion’s Diamond Family Courtyard at VGH will be filled with angel ornaments dedicated to loved ones and members of our health care teams. Learn more about the campaign and Liz’s story at http://vghfoundation.ca/angel#about.