Ajay Dilawri says the foundation made the donation after Dr. Wood and his team were the only ones who didn’t propose 'invasive' open-heart surgery for his father.JONATHAN HAYWARD/The Canadian Press
The president of the Vancouver General Hospital’s foundation has announced a $60-million donation that will go toward creating a world-leading cardiovascular institute.
Angela Chapman of the VGH and UBC Hospital Foundation says the donation from the Dilawri Foundation is the largest in the hospital foundation’s history.
Chapman says the land for the Dilawri Cardiovascular Institute on West 12th Avenue in Vancouver is currently being rezoned, with construction hoped to begin in 2027.
Dr. David Wood, head of cardiology at the hospital, says $35 million is earmarked for the new institute, while $25 million is for a new “innovation fund” to immediately bolster research, while attracting top talent in the field from all over the world.
Wood says the fund will allow him and colleagues to quickly implement new ideas without having to wait for government funding, including from the United States where he says the scientific research landscape is “dramatically different than it was six months ago.”
From the left, Vivian Eliopoulos, President and CEO of Vancouver Coastal Health, Ajay Dilawri, co-founder of the Dilawri Foundation, Angela Chapman President and CEO of the VGH and UBC Hospital Foundation, and Dr. David Wood, head of cardiology at Vancouver General Hospital and the University of British Columbia Hospital.Darryl Greer/The Canadian Press
Ajay Dilawri, whose family company owns dozens of car dealerships, says the foundation made the donation after his father sought out treatment for heart issues around the world, and Dr. Wood and his team were the only ones who didn’t propose “invasive” and complex open-heart surgery.