Royal visit helps palliative care centre raise close to a half-million dollars
A visit from royalty with local ties helped the West Island Palliative Care Residence raise close to a half-million dollars at a fundraising event on Friday night.
The residence hosted its annual Valentine's Day Ball at the Château Vaudreuil, with this year's event given a London theme, complete with a vintage red phone box.
That made at least one guest feel right at home. Peter Phillips, Queen Elizabeth's eldest grandson, attended the event with his wife, Autumn.
She grew up in Pointe-Claire, just a short drive away from Château Vaudreuil.
The royal couple was joined by a number of other high-profile guests, including former Alouettes quarterback Anthony Calvillo.
"It's an amazing place," Calvillo said of the palliative care residence.
"I had the chance to go meet some of the patients there. And what [the residence does] to help people and their families is very special."
The ball raised $490,000 for the residence. It included a silent auction where guests could bid on sports tickets, high-end bottles of wine and even weekend access to a Rolls-Royce.
Teresa Dellar, the residence's executive director, said the money raised would go to patient care.
"We have approximately one new patient every single day," Dellar said.
"So we have between 380 and 400 patients a year."
