Lerners Partners donate $25,000 to Jessica’s House – A Residential Hospice
Jessica’s House received more support from the business community today. A $25,000 donation from Nigel Gilby and William Simpson, partners in the London office of Lerners LLP, has been given to support the building project. This gift is in addition to the $100,000 being donated by Lerners LLP that is also being announced today.
“Every donation has been important so far in our fundraising campaign. However, as we make our final push to reach our goal, we are especially pleased to have support from leading professionals in our community” said Pat O’Rourke, Chair, South Huron Hospital Foundation.
Nigel Gilby and William Simpson both practice civil litigation at Lerners LLP (London) and focus on serious personal injury cases. Together, they have more than fifty years of combined experience acting for a wide-variety of clients across Ontario, including many current and former clients in Huron County.
“I have always believed that it is vitally important to give back to the various communities that have supported me in my professional life. I have very close connections within Huron County and am very honoured to be able to support this project. I know that Jessica’s House will be an important and trusted asset in the community” said Nigel Gilby.
William Simpson noted: “Jessica’s House will represent the very best in modern hospice care for people in our region. I live within twenty kilometers of where Jessica’s House will be built. The enthusiasm and support the people of my community have shown for this project has been infectious – and I am proud to be part of it.”
Gilby and Simpson’s donation to Jessica’s House is in support of the construction of Huron County’s first residential hospice. The Southwest Local Health Integration Network (LHIN), in a capacity report on palliative and hospice care, identified Huron County as having an issue with lack of access to residential hospice beds. With an aging population and a rise in the incidence of advanced illness, residents of Huron County deserve to access support and treatments that will provide them with comfort and dignity at the end of life. In addition, the supportive care centre will offer the community access to resources, medical and emotional support from the time of diagnosis of a life-threatening illness, through the end of life and afterwards.
The campaign currently has a $3 million capital campaign underway to build a freestanding in-patient hospice residence and a supportive care centre for residents of Huron County. In one year, the Campaign through the South Huron Hospital Foundation has already raised more than $2 million. The campaign for Jessica’s House continues to appeal to leaders who live and work in our community and beyond to help them reach a target of $3 million.
To donate, please visit Jessica’s House Residential Hospice Campaign Ontario on the South Huron Hospital Foundation website.