A special surprise for Willow Pavilion clients

On Monday this past week, the clients at Willow Pavilion received their brand new, wheelchair-accessible, 13-seat van.

The van wouldn’t have been made possible without a number of generous and kindhearted individuals who chose to donate to this important fundraising endeavor through the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation.

The clients at Willow Pavilion will now have the ability to go on community outings and attend special events that would not otherwise be possible for them to participate in, due to the challenges many experience when on public transit and in large crowds with people they don’t know or have learned to trust.

The arrival of the van was met with excitement, as it was driven by Dr Soma Ganesan, Medical Director for Mental Health and Addictions, draped in balloons with the horn honking, to where a large number of Willow Pavilion clients and staff awaited the arrival of a previously undisclosed ‘surprise’.

The crowd then joined in a chorus of Happy Birthday to Dr Ganesan, who was also celebrating his special day.

A reception in the Willow Pavilion community centre followed.