The Dorothy Ley Award of Excellence
The late Dr. Dorothy Ley was one of Canada’s first champions for quality care at the end-of-life. She brought a unique individuality to the field of hospice and palliative care and maintained a highly visible and vocal presence during her distinguished career until her death in 1994.
The Dorothy Ley Award of Excellence, established in 1996 by the Ontario Palliative Care Association, now Hospice Palliative Care Ontario, is a perennial reminder of Dr. Ley’s legacy. The award is presented annually in recognition of an individual or team effort to advance and improve the quality of palliative and end-of-life care.
Nominees for this award exemplify excellence in hospice palliative care. Their work enhances the quality of life for persons and families facing life-threatening illness or chronic progressive disease through involvement in the principal activities defined in the Model to Guide Hospice Palliative Care.
2025 Award
The recipient of the 2025 Dr. Dorothy Ley Award of Excellence is Maria Panzera Rugg.
For over 35 years Maria has been dedicated to ensuring that Ontario families receive the compassionate care that they need. In her work with SickKids Hospital she led the development and expansion of the paediatric palliative care program. At Trillium Health she supported the implementation of expansive cancer support services. And at Unity Health she developed and expanded a 10-bed palliative care unit. Maria uses a holistic approach that integrates pain and symptom management, advance care planning, and psychosocial and spiritual support that ensures her clients consistently receive high-quality, person-centred care.
The Award was presented at our Awards Gala on June 9, 2025, which occurred during our Annual Conference. Read more about the Conference and all the award recipients.
2024 Award
Jennifer Wilson, Chair, HPCO Board of Directors, Dr. Graham Burke and Paul Hazzard, Treasurer, HPCO Board of Directors.
The recipient of the 2024 Dr. Dorothy Ley Award of Excellence is Dr. Graham Burke.
Dr. Burke is a family physician and a community palliative care consultant who has been a long-time supporter and promoter of community palliative care. He founded the “Prince Edward Palliative Care Association,” and helped to transition it into what is now Hospice Prince Edward. He developed a manual of hospice care that includes protocols, ethical analyses, and patient & family education for most end of life clinical circumstances which has been adopted by the South East Local Health Integration Network.
Throughout his nearly 50 year career, Dr. Burke has been an advocate for appropriate and ethical care. HPCO is honoured to present him with this award.
The award was presented at our Awards Gala on June 10, 2024, which occurred during our Annual Conference. The 2024 conference theme was Palliative Care Everywhere. Building on the 2023 conference theme of Now is the Time, Palliative Care Everywhere underscores the importance of a palliative approach to care being available in all settings where people die. Despite the progress we have made, many people do not have equitable access to quality, integrated, patient-centred, sustainable hospice palliative care services. Whether at home, in hospice, in long-term care, in hospital, group homes, prisons, shelters, or unhoused, palliative care must be available in all settings and for all people.
Read more about HCPO2024 and the Awards Gala.
