In 1991 an artist and teacher by the name of Philip Aziz became terminally ill with AIDS and during the last year of his life was taken in and cared for by a small church group on the Esplanade in Toronto, known as the Church in the City. Philip left his estate to the church and asked them to create a hospice to care for people infected with this devastating disease, treating them with dignity during the last days of their life, such as he was treated by the new friends he first met in 1991. The Philip Aziz Centre was incorporated in 1995 and since then has helped not only those infected or affected with AIDS, but as well young children with terminal cancer, through home hospice care. Last year the Philip Aziz Centre provided 8500 hours of front line service to 115 adults and children.

We are very grateful to all who support the work of the Centre – individuals and organizations that share a mutual vision and compassion to help those living with the challenges of HIV/AIDS.

We have a dream to build a Children’s Respite Home in Toronto and the first in Canada that will focus solely on children infected with HIV/AIDS, a place where children can have a safe, familiar haven while their primary caregiver (who is HIV positive) convalesces, receives hospital care or requires a temporary break from care giving for the purpose of physical and/or emotional recuperation. We have a goal – to officially open the doors of the Philip Aziz Centre’s Children’s Respite Home in August 2006 – when over 20,000 will be attending the World AIDS Conference in Toronto.

Thank you again for your gift and for the opportunity to describe what I truly believe is a compassionate organization whose leaders and volunteers offer hope and dignity to those they serve, and who are delivering social services at one of the highest levels in the city of Toronto