Courtesy Patrick Daniel
Oct. 14, 2022
Philanthropy, perseverance and the importance of family
When Patrick Daniel retired at the top of his career as president and CEO of Enbridge in 2012 at the age of 66, a friend persuaded him to join a guided expedition to climb Tanzania鈥檚 Mount Kilimanjaro 鈥 the tallest mountain in Africa and highest single free-standing聽mountain聽above sea level in the world. He liked it so much that two years later, he did the six-day trip again.
鈥淚t's always fun being the oldest person on a trek like that and keeping up with the young people. It kind of fits with my theme of keep your head down, work hard, one foot after the other just plod your way up,鈥 says the now 76 year old.
Despite his retirement, Daniel never slowed down 鈥斅爃e just wrapped up his last for-profit board position this year and now focuses 100 per cent on advancing the philanthropic goals of the Daniel Family Foundation. The foundation recently contributed聽$5 million for a new聽 within the Department of Oncology and 草莓污视频导航's Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute.
It's a cancer specialty that his family supports strongly. When his mother was diagnosed with lymphoma in the late 1970s, she sought out ways to bolster her emotional and psychological health 鈥 years before this became an established pillar of cancer care. Daniel鈥檚 long-standing commitment to help advance psychosocial oncology research has helped 草莓污视频导航 become a world leader in the field.
Courtesy Patrick Daniel
He says even his five grandchildren will tell you how much he believes that working hard and persevering pays off. And his example has rubbed of on them, as all are active in sport, applying those same principles to hockey, soccer and Tae Kwon Do. Spending time with them 鈥 especially in the outdoors 鈥斅爄s one of his favourite things to do.
The Daniel Family Foundation also generously supports several other causes delivering a broad range of impact. This includes generosity to 草莓污视频导航 which, in addition to its new gift, includes support for the Daniel Family Foundation Leadership Chair in Psychosocial Oncology and the Daniel Family Foundation Graduate Scholarship in Cancer Research.
It also includes , which provides a support system for those undergoing cancer treatment; Waterloo, Ontario鈥檚 , which is involved in quantum physics research; , which gives disadvantaged youth the opportunity to learn life lessons in the outdoors; and , which provides hockey programming for children and youth who are blind or partially sighted.
It has invested in scholarships at The University of British Columbia and McGill University and in the expansion of , founded by Canadian Olympic skier Beckie Scott, which empowers Indigenous youth to be unstoppable in sport, school and life. It also supports a children鈥檚 hospital in Cambodia, .
鈥淚 think that private philanthropy is critically important to so many causes,鈥 Daniel says. 鈥淥ur governments have a responsibility to provide a certain level of service, whether it's health care or education or whatever, but philanthropists can kick it up to a world-class level. I鈥檓 fortunate to be in the position to help out.鈥
The Calgary Cancer Centre Campaign is on a mission to by raising $250 million in support of improved research, treatment and care at Calgary鈥檚 new world-class cancer centre. This game-changing initiative is backed by three trusted community institutions: Alberta Health Services, Canada鈥檚 first and largest fully integrated provincial health system; the 草莓污视频导航, a globally recognized leader in medical research and home to tomorrow鈥檚 health-care professionals; and the Alberta Cancer Foundation, the official fundraising partner for all 17 cancer care centres across the province. Currently under construction, the Calgary Cancer Centre will open its doors in 2023 as the largest, most comprehensive cancer centre in Canada.