The power of a planned gift is undeniable. To each person, leaving a legacy means something different and uniquely personal, to put a stamp on the future. To Yoav Ifergan it means honouring his parents who both underwent treatment at the Jewish General Hospital. 

“The greatest person who influenced me and I tried to emulate the most was my mother. She inspired me to give back,” Yoav shared. “Sadly, my mother succumbed to her illness many years ago, but her loving and caring generosity of spirit remains with me.”

In addition to his mother’s on-and-off treatment at the JGH, his father was also admitted to the hospital for three separate, equally concerning health issues.

“The first visit, he went in for bypass heart surgery,” Yoav explained. “The second visit was much more critical. He had suffered a stroke.”

While recovering in the Intensive Care Unit for over a month, the doctors made it clear to Yoav that his father had a 50 per cent chance of survival. He had developed an infection as a result of the stroke.

“Miraculously, he overcame both ailments at the same time and had no side effects as a result of the stroke or the infection,” Yoav said happily. “The doctors and nurses that attended to him were just amazing. You don’t really realize when you’re going through something traumatic like that, it’s only many years down the line when you reflect back that you realize how amazing the doctors and nurses were.”

“To this day, my father claims that the staff at the Jewish General saved his life. The way my parents were treated at the hospital was part of why I made a planned gift to the JGH. It was an opportunity for me to pass on some of my mother’s values and virtues to future generations of patients.”

There are many ways to support the JGH Foundation through a planned gift, with the most common being a bequest in your will. This type of donation represents about 90% of all planned gifts in Canada. A bequest is essentially a gift made through your will or trust; it can be a piece of property, a percentage of your estate, securities or cash. The funds will be distributed based on your predetermined instructions—to support or endow specific departments or programs, or to be used at the Hospital’s discretion.

Yoav’s gifts reflect two priorities at the Hospital. One is a general gift, providing undesignated funds to the area of greatest need at the JGH. The other was designated for the Intensive Care Unit. 

“I see the ICU as a place where there’s sophisticated equipment. It’s a nurse being by your side 24/7. It is space that’s a combination of technology mixed with human care and tenderness,” said Yoav.

“The bottom line: my gift will provide funding that will serve the community in a meaningful and purposeful way and save human lives. You can’t put a price on that.”

To find out more about Legacy Giving click here.

Last updated April 2021