Leave a Legacy

2020

Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/1241346

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2 L E AV E A L E G A C Y ™ M a k i n g a D i f f e r e n c e i n t h e L i v e s t h a t F o l l o w SILVERMAN FAMILY LEAVES A LEGACY TO ST. BONIFACE HOSPITAL Vivian and Burle Silverman shared a bond that some would say you only read about in story-books. Although their journey together was cut short, their love ultimately created a lasting legacy of hope for other Manitobans. Vivian and Burle first found each other side-by-side in their cubicles working at Revenue Canada. "We were yin and yang. We complemented each other," said Burle. Vivian's family had a long history of cancer. Vivian's mother and five great-aunts had all died from it. Her mother passed away in January 2000 in St. Boniface Hospital's Palliative Care Unit. Vivian always believed it wasn't a matter of "if " she got cancer, but "when". Unfortunately, she was right. In January 2013, Vivian was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer, less than a year after she and Burle had retired. After an unsuccessful round of chemotherapy, Vivian underwent surgery to remove the tumor. Sadly, Vivian and Burle's time together came to an end in 2015, when she was only 58. The couple had shared a cherished 24 years together. "It was always just the two of us, so it was a big adjustment," said Burle. "My wife was a gorgeous woman. She really was." Before she died, Vivian and Burle had decided to give back to St. Boniface Hospital Foundation, to support Palliative Care. Vivian is now memorialized on a wall in the Palliative Care Unit, right beside her mother. Burle explained the importance of giving back to the Palliative Care Unit: "The work they do there is so unbelievable. It's important that they get our support." Thinking of the staff, Burle took a poignant pause and said, "They are angels." Burle loves talking about Vivian. Expressing the importance of supporting the Hospital, he shared his hope that Vivian's life story might inspire others to give back also. CONTACT A ST. BONIFACE HOSPITAL FOUNDATION REPRESENTATIVE TO DISCUSS YOUR LEGACY: G A R T H J O H N S O N Development Officer 204-235-3570 gjohnson@stbhf.org N A N C Y M I L I TA N O Development Officer 204-237-2068 nmilitano@stbhf.org Leave a Legacy of Hope Leaving a gift in your will to St. Boniface Hospital is the beginning of a healthier future. You can help ensure that health, hope, and healing are always available to those in need. STBHF.CA

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