The Misericordia and Riverview Health Centre Foundations received a $1 million gift donation Friday.
Retired pharmacist J. Laurie Johnston will evenly split his donation between the two foundations, meant to fund Misericordia’s upcoming PRIME (Program of Integrated Managed-care for the Elderly) and Riverview’s renowned palliative care program.
Johnston nicknamed his legacy fund “Operation Gratification,” after facing the reality of not having enough money for tuition to finish school. He received $200 from a family friend — the equivalent of $2,800 today — with the condition to “do this for someone else some day.”
“Riverview’s excellent palliative care program exemplifies something I have always believed in, a comfortable and dignified death,” Johnston said in a release.
The gift comes from a special legacy fund Johnston created 35 years ago, with the goal on giving back to a suitable charity one day. Johnston couldn’t decide on just one, thus splitting his donation between the two.
Updated at 10 a.m.
