“Dr. Daryl Wile (left) is a brilliant neurologist,” says donor, Kim Humphreys (right). “We believe in his vision to advance care for those like my Dad who are struggling to maintain their dignity and their independence while living with this disease.”
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/KGH Foundation
January 31, 2024 - 8:49 AM
Kelowna General Hospital has received $1 million donation to advance care for those living with Parkinson's disease.
Barry Humphrey along with his wife Anne, and their children Kim and Doug, have committed $1 million to increase capacity and expand the service model for the Movement Disorder Clinic at Kelowna General Hospital, according to a Jan. 31 news release from the KGH Foundation.
The clinic was established in 2015 by neurologist Dr. Daryl Wile to support the patients who live with movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease such as Barry Humphrey who was diagnosed in 2020.
“He’s been doing his best to gracefully navigate the changes he’s experienced in his body and mind as the disease has progressed,” Kim Humphreys, Barry's daughter, says in the release. “Dr. Wile is a brilliant neurologist. We believe in his vision to advance care for those like my Dad who are struggling to maintain their dignity and their independence while living with this disease.”
The hospital's Movement Disorder Clinic has a focus on Parkinson's, a disease that affects about 2,700 people in the Interior Health Region, of which, 300 were diagnosed just in the last year.
Dr. Wile expresses a need to expand the services the clinic offers to meet the need while setting a new standard in care for those living with the disease in smaller communities.
“We have a high prevalence of Parkinson’s disease in Interior Health, perhaps because many folks, much like the Humphreys, choose to move to the region and make it home once they retire,” Dr. Wile says. “We expect the numbers will continue to grow, as the primary risk factor for Parkinson’s disease is age.
“The gift from the Humphreys is significant. We want to do more for these people and families. This investment will help grow the clinic’s capacity, and through a partnership with the newly established Centre for Health Systems Learning and Innovation at KGH, we can continue to learn and develop our approach in ways that work best for our patients and our community.
“The Humphreys Family have not only demonstrated generosity with this gift, but are to be commended for their courage in taking action in an area of care where this funding will truly have a profound and measurable impact."
The Humphrey family is originally from Langham, Saskatchewan, and Barry Humphrey made his career in the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan working his way up to become Chief Financial Officer before he retired in 2004. Both his kids are married and work, Kim in Kelowna, and Dr. Doug Humphrey in Calgary.
“Our hope is that this gift will inspire others who, like us, have been impacted by a loved one’s diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease,” Kim says. “For many who choose to retire to the Okanagan from big cities, a vital consideration is the quality of the hospital. Dr. Wile and his team are doing incredible work at KGH. If this hits close to home for others, we encourage them to really consider giving to support this work.”
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