The acute care tower at Richmond Hospital has been named after a prominent Richmond doctor and his family after they made the single, biggest donation in the hospital foundation’s history.
The building has been renamed the Yurkovich Family Pavilion, after retired family physician Dr. Tony Yurkovich and his wife, Nancy, made the undisclosed donation at a reception on Friday morning.
Their generosity will go towards the funds being raised – now standing at $25 million - to rebuild the dilapidated 50-year-old tower, which now bears their family name.
When the new tower, which is still in the planning stages, is finally built, the Yurkovich’s name will transfer over.
The Richmond Hospital Foundation said it’s willing to raise $40 million of the $283 million needed for a new north tower, which is overcrowded and at risk of collapse in a moderate earthquake.
While making the donation on Friday, Nancy Yurkovich talked of her and her husband living in Richmond when the population was just 8,000 and how giving back has been a way of life for the couple and their family.
“There was a Croatian community, Anglo Saxon, a few Chinese people,” she said.
“This was the Richmond of long ago…but change is inevitable; the interurban tram is housed in a shed in Steveston.
“We are gathered here today to create a sense of purpose and community and we need the help and skill of everyone.
“There is fear of change and discontent (in Richmond)…let’s strive to get beyond that.
“Richmond of Tony’s youth has changed and so has the hospital. Let’s set a course for the future.”
The couple’s daughter, Susan, spoke of how her father, as a doctor, always called little boys “tiger” and little girls “princess” and how he would always answer the phone in the middle of the night, in case someone needed his help.
“Mom is the fixer and also a nurse and a teacher. She is a passionate advocate of patient-centred care,” she added.
“Together, they are an amazing pair and have never been driven by materials. (Tony) only took business class for the first time on a flight, age 80, for back reasons.
“They always taught us to give back…they have largely given back quietly, but today is out of their comfort zone.
“They have now made a strong commitment and we need everyone else, including those in government, to help, as well.”
Moments earlier, Mayor Malcolm Brodie also directed his comments towards the provincial government, including Richmond’s three MLAs – Teresa Wat, Linda Reid and John Yap – who were all in attendance Friday.
“(The new tower) cannot come soon enough,” he said.
“The seismic risks are too great and I’m calling upon our MLAs to be the champions for it.
“The time for this commitment is now!”
Natalie Meixner, president and CEO of the hospital foundation, said the Yurkovich family has a “great vision for how to bring a community together, regardless of where one is from or how long they have lived in Richmond. We believe this will be the catalyst for change in our community.”
While the Yurkovich’s gift ranks among some of the largest donations made to a hospital foundation in B.C., the couple remained modest and asked for the amount of the donation to be kept private.
The plan for the new tower has been approved by Vancouver Coastal Health and forwarded to the provincial Ministry of Health, which will make the decision regarding when the project will move forward to the business case stage of planning.
