Sheila Patricia Graham, best known as Pat, attended St. Paul’s School of Nursing and received her nursing diploma on August 22, 1940. She was proud to be a nurse and to work her entire 36-year career as a registered nurse at St. Paul’s. Pat had many friends from St. Paul’s and was an enthusiastic member of the St. Paul’s bowling team with whom she helped win many trophies!
In her will, Pat generously directed one quarter of her estate to St. Paul’s Foundation. She further instructed her executors to work with the Foundation to identify “one or more appropriate charitable purposes consistent with my long history as a registered nurse at St. Paul’s Hospital.” Pat’s executors, Shaun and Karen van der Hoop, worked diligently to meet her request and were instrumental in establishing the Pat Graham Nursing Award with St. Paul’s Foundation.
Thanks to Pat’s gift, each year 20-30 nurses at St. Paul’s Hospital receive the Pat Graham Nursing Award which is presented annually at Providence Health Care’s Professional Practice
Awards Ceremony. The Award comes with a monetary grant recipients can use for tuition costs or attendance at professional development conferences, courses, or seminars. Since 2017, St. Paul’s nurses have used their Pat Graham Nursing Awards to further their education and enhance their professional expertise.
Advanced education and training helps nurses provide the highest level of care to all of their patients. So when you think about it, we are all beneficiaries of Pat’s foresight in making a gift in her will to St. Paul’s.
St. Paul’s Hospital is grateful for Pat’s many years of dedicated service. St. Paul’s Foundation is thankful for her enduring gift in support of St. Paul’s nurses. And Pat’s wonderful legacy lives on in the recipients of her namesake award.