December 16, 2019

Family honours memory of son with special legacy gift

The legacy of one young man will continue to live on at the new Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital, thanks to the generosity of his family.

Dennis and Chris Drobot have named Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation as the beneficiary of a $250,000 life insurance policy in honour of their late son, David.

The Regina family chose to designate their gift to Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Equipment Endowment, which goes towards purchasing specialized pediatric equipment for the new hospital. The Drobot’s gift will help make a difference in the lives of Saskatchewan families, by providing the latest tools and technology.

“Knowing that our gift will help fund future new advancements in equipment and technology for children and families in Saskatchewan was important to us. You never know how important this facility is until you need it,” Dennis said.

David was born in Yorkton in 1981, before his family moved to Regina in 1991. David loved animals and the outdoors, spending much of his time skateboarding, snowboarding, drawing and travelling. As David approached 16 years of age, he began spending less time with friends and more time at home. He lost interest in some of his activities and his school performance began to deteriorate. It was soon after that he started to develop back pain and headaches.

Eventually, the Drobot family received the devastating diagnosis that David had a very rare brain tumour of the pineal gland. Unfortunately, surgery resulted in significant complications and David became a resident of the Wascana Rehabilitation Centre in Regina. He lived at the facility for the next eleven years, before sadly passing in November 2008.

To his family and friends, David’s legacy is his stoic acceptance of life circumstances and his ability to see the beauty and quality of life, where others might not.

While David was receiving treatment at Sick Kids in Toronto, his family saw the need at the time for the same advanced services and equipment in Saskatchewan.

“We hope many families will consider a bequest to Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital so that, as the years go by, Saskatchewan children will always have the most up to date equipment and well trained medical staff without leaving the province,” Chris said.

“We are incredibly grateful for the Drobot family’s thoughtful contribution made in honour of their late son,” said Brynn Boback-Lane, President and CEO of Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation. “This gift of endowed funds provides the ultimate legacy of David, by helping ensure Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital remains a world-class facility and that pediatric health care needs and equipment are met for future generations.”

A planned gift allows you to leave a larger donation to Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation than may be possible during your lifetime.  By planning today, families can have a tremendous impact on the future health of Saskatchewan kids. To learn more about how you can make a legacy gift, please contact Laura Gawletz at Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation at 306.931.4887 or email info@pattisonchildrens.ca.