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House of Hope Orphanage -Uganda Ashoka Canadian Magen David Adomfor Israel Ve’ahavta: The Canadian Jewish Humanitarian and Relief Committee Philip Aziz Centre Priests of the Sacred Heart West Papua Mission Dignitas International
By Brendan Wood Empoyees By Friends of Lazarus Partners

Don Pangman
Don Pangman
Don Pangman

In 1991 an artist and teacher by the name of Philip Aziz became terminally ill with AIDS and during the last year of his life was taken in and cared for by a small church group on the Esplanade in Toronto, known as the Church in the City. Philip left his estate to the church and asked them to create a hospice to care for people infected with this devastating disease, treating them with dignity during the last days of their life, such as he was treated by the new friends he first met in 1991.

Incorporated in 1995 The Philip Aziz Centre is a Toronto based community hospice program with 4 full time staff and 75 trained volunteers providing respite, practical, emotional, and spiritual support to individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other lifethreatening illnesses in the comfort of their homes.

PAC recruits, screens, trains, supervises and retains a high percentage of its volunteers: volunteers provide a maximum of 4 hours per week (to avoid burn-out) and are requested to make a one year commitment to PAC. The average number of volunteers is currently at 70.

Since 1995 PAC has met the needs of hundreds of individuals and families and in 2006 will have provided over 11,500 hours of service to 138 adults and 100 children.

Research indicates an increasing demand among women and children for respite/hospice care, particularly women who need emergency medical treatment but are reluctant to leave their children with neighbors or friends for fear of revealing their illness. The medical, social and economic implications of HIV/AIDS are impacting so many in Canada and must be addressed with both haste and compassion.

We are very grateful to all who support the work of the Centre – individuals and organizations that share a mutual vision and compassion to help those living with the challenges of HIV/AIDS.

Thank you again for your gift and for the opportunity to describe what I truly believe is a compassionate organization whose leaders and volunteers offer hope and dignity to those they serve, and who are delivering social services at one of the highest levels in the Don Pangman City of Toronto.