Strengthening care for future generations

Family means everything to Danny and Chris.

The siblings are among the youngest of 11 children in the DePrest family. They immigrated to Canada from Belgium in 1954 after family and friends boasted of ‘roads paved with gold and money everywhere’.

The reality of what they found didn’t hold up to the stories they heard. The DePrests settled in a home in Strathroy - a small house with no heat, hydro or running water and a broken-down truck.

Their hard work, resilience and determination held them in good stead as they embraced their new life and all that came with it – supporting each other every step of the way.  

Danny and Chris have drawn on that resilience and their family values many times through their lives especially when it came to serious health issues. And determined that the excellent and compassionate care they received at St. Joseph’s during those times will be there for the future generations of their family and the community, they have made legacy gifts through their Wills.

“What they have done for me, especially with my eyes, I just felt it was important to give back,” said Chris.  “I just hope that St. Joseph’s can stay as good as it is now well into the future. And I believe that the more I can give, the better the health care system will be.”

Chris has dealt with age-related macular degeneration – an eye disease that can blur your central vision. Part of her care is to receive periodic injections to slow the progression. Additionally, she has undergone cataract surgery– all at St. Joseph’s Ivey Eye Institute. She is grateful for the cutting-edge technology and medical research that have enabled physicians to preserve her eyesight.

Meanwhile Danny has had several urological operations at St. Joseph’s, including two occasions when he developed kidney stones that were so large that they had to be surgically removed. He’s also involved with a study at Parkwood with Dr. Borrie. Each time he has been impressed with the quality of care provided by the team of physicians, nurses and other hospital staff. He finds it reassuring to have that level of confidence in their care.

“No one likes going to the hospital,” Danny said, “but if you’ve got to go, you want to know that you’re going to be well taken care of. It’s why I made my gift.”

Legacy giving is not new to the DePrest family, Danny and Chris’ father made a legacy gift in his Will many years ago, and the siblings are now happy to carry on the tradition.  

“It feels good to leave something behind I suppose,” said Danny humbly. “It’s like leaving something for your own family – you just know that so many other people will benefit from it.”

Will building healthier communities be your legacy?

By leaving a gift in your Will to St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation, you can enhance care for family, friends and community for years to come. 

Whether it’s state-of-the-art imaging equipment that detects cancer at an early stage, training the next generation of surgical leaders, or medical research that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible, your future gift will make a meaningful difference.

Learn more