Mission Viejo, CA – The late Walter A. Craig, a grateful patient, is recognizing the exceptional care he received with a $4 million gift to Providence Mission Hospital Foundation. His gift will support the establishment of Providence Mission Hospital’s Walter A. Craig Center for Palliative Care.

The new center will provide care that relieves pain and symptoms while prioritizing a patient’s comfort and quality of life. The center’s comprehensive range of services will provide patient and family counseling, planning assistance and navigation through the treatment processes.

“Palliative care is a relatively new field in the practice of medicine and many patients don’t know its potential benefits,” shared internist Reza Dehkordi, MD, who treated Walter during his last years of life.

“As opposed to hospice which only seeks to alleviate pain and suffering towards the end of one’s life, palliative care results in significant improvement of the patient’s quality of life as they continue to seek treatment for a serious health condition,” Dr. Dehkordi says.

The family and hospital’s aspiration are to create a model program for palliative care that is available to all patients and families who desire it.

“We want awareness of the comfort palliative care can provide to spread throughout the hospital staff and our community,” said Walter’s sister Diane. “He would want the hospital to be a beacon of hope, no matter the patient’s ability.”

To learn more on the Walter A. Craig Center for Palliative Care, please visit www.supportmissionhospital.org/PalliativeCare.