Information bulletin
Centennial Pavilion at VGH renamed in honour of Leon Judah Blackmore
Vancouver, BC – Leon Judah Blackmore was a successful real estate developer who built thousands of housing units in Metro Vancouver. He also built a Foundation that today is bestowing a special gift, which will benefit patients in the Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) region and beyond.
The VGH and UBC Hospital Foundation is honoured to be the recipient of an $18.4 million donation from the Leon Judah Blackmore Foundation, to be used for various health care initiatives.
- Cardiology Diagnostic Centre
- Men’s health
- Hybrid operating room
- Sleep disorders program
“This generous gift will truly benefit VCH, caregivers, patients and their families by providing significant resources for what they do and what is needed,” says Mary Ackenhusen, President and CEO Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH). “In recognition, the Centennial Pavilion at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) has been renamed the Leon Judah Blackmore Pavilion.”
Leon Judah Blackmore was one of seven children raised in an orthodox Jewish home in Poland. His family fled the country prior to the Holocaust and settled in Winnipeg. Leon later moved to Vancouver, where he became a pillar of the real estate community. “He wanted to make the world a better place and through his philanthropy, was able to do that,” says Craig Sturrock, a board member of the Leon Judah Blackmore Foundation.
It was through his own medical needs that Leon was introduced to the team of professionals at VGH. “He had the utmost respect for our work, and he made it his mission to help improve patient care through funding research and initiatives that would truly make a difference,” says Dr. Jaap Hamburger, a cardiologist at Vancouver Coastal Health.
Leon Judah Blackmore passed away in 2015. “We are so grateful to the Leon Judah Blackmore Foundation for honouring his legacy with this $18.4 million donation, “ says Barbara Grantham, President and CEO VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation. “The dollar amount is astounding, but it’s also personally significant.”
The Hebrew word for life is chai, and its numerical value is 18. Giving gifts in multiples of 18 is symbolic of giving “chai” or life and represents “a gift of life.” “This gift will make a difference in the lives of our patients, and on behalf of them, we would like to thank the Leon Judah Blackmore Foundation for this beautiful gift,” says Grantham.
VCH is responsible for the delivery of $3.3 billion in community, hospital and residential care to more than one million people in communities including Richmond, Vancouver, the North Shore, Sunshine Coast, Sea to Sky corridor, Powell River, Bella Bella and Bella Coola.
Contact
Carrie Stefanson
Public Affairs Officer
Vancouver Coastal Health
Office: (604) 708-5338
Cell: (604) 312-1148
Email: carrie.stefanson@vch.ca