Vancouver personal injury law firm Warnett Hallen LLP has announced its continued sponsorship of the 21st annual Gift of Time gala, a fundraiser for Canuck Place Children's Hospice. The event, presented by Nicola Wealth, will take place on Oct. 24 at 5 p.m. at the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel in Vancouver. Over its history, the gala has raised more than $22.1 million for the hospice, which provides pediatric palliative care across British Columbia.
This marks the third year that Warnett Hallen LLP has sponsored the gala. Manjot Hallen, a founding partner of the firm, has a long history of supporting BC children and families, having previously served as chair of BC Children's Hospital's A Night of Miracles Gala. In a statement, Hallen said, "The wellbeing of children and families has long been important to me. Our firm is honoured to continue supporting Canuck Place and the life-changing work that it does every day."
The origins of Canuck Place trace back to 1988, when Vancouver nurse Brenda Eng identified a need for comprehensive palliative care for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. With support from private and public donors, The Vancouver Canucks Hockey Club, the Griffiths family, The Vancouver Sun, Variety – The Children's Charity, Loewen Group, TELUS, and the City of Vancouver, Canuck Place Children's Hospice opened in 1995 as the first free-standing hospice in North America. It now operates locations in Vancouver and Abbotsford.
Canuck Place offers a range of services at no cost, including pain and symptom management, medical respite, educational opportunities, and art, music, and recreation therapy. It also provides end-of-life care and grief and bereavement counselling. The Gift of Time gala is a critical source of funding for these programs.
For businesses and individuals in BC, the sponsorship underscores the importance of corporate social responsibility in sustaining essential community services. As government funding often falls short of covering the full spectrum of pediatric palliative care, private donations and events like the gala ensure that families can access support without financial burden. The involvement of a law firm like Warnett Hallen LLP, which handles personal injury cases including those involving children, also reflects a broader commitment to community welfare beyond legal services.
Readers looking to support Canuck Place can learn more at Canuck Place. The gala's success demonstrates how local philanthropy can have a lasting impact on healthcare infrastructure, particularly for vulnerable populations. As the event enters its third decade, its continued support remains vital for the thousands of families who rely on the hospice each year.
