Nichola K.S. Goddard Foundation donates $25,000 to AVC
The Nichola K.S. Goddard Foundation has donated a total of $25,000 to the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) for the College’s cardiology service.
Dr. Tim and Sally Goddard, founders of the Nichola K.S. Goddard Foundation, presented Dr. Greg Keefe, dean of AVC, with a cheque during the foundation’s annual dinner in November. A former dean of the UPEI Faculty of Education, Dr. Goddard is currently coordinator of the faculty’s graduate programs. Sally Goddard is an educational consultant at AVC.
“At AVC, our mission is to provide future veterinarians with a high quality education, conduct research for the benefit of animals and people, and give expert and compassionate care to animals and their owners,” says Dr. Keefe. “The support of individuals and organizations like the Nichola Goddard Foundation is very important in helping us to fulfil our mission and to continue to grow in reputation and the services we provide. We are deeply honoured that you have chosen AVC as a recipient for your generosity.”
The donation will be used to purchase equipment for the cardiology service, which provides specialized care for diverse species, including horses, cats, dogs, and birds. The service is led by Dr. Etienne Côté, the only board-certified veterinary cardiologist in Atlantic Canada and one of ten in Canada. This gift brings the total amount donated to UPEI by the foundation to over $100,000 since 2011.
The Goddards established the foundation in memory of their daughter, Captain Nichola Goddard, who was killed in action in Afghanistan on May 7, 2006. She had numerous pets during her life and had planned to establish a kennel when she had completed her military career.
Captain Goddard’s parents honour her memory through scholarships they have established at UPEI and the University of Calgary, and through a project in Papua New Guinea—where Captain Goddard was born—to install solar-powered LED lighting systems in rural health care facilities. Among other tributes, a Canadian Coastguard Hero class vessel was named in Captain Goddard’s memory; the Calgary Board of Education established the Captain Nichola Goddard School in Calgary; and the Government of Saskatchewan named a lake in her honour.
