Santa Claus came early for a pair of Londoners who on Wednesday received the Christmas gift of a lifetime after winning the winter draws of the Dream Lottery in support of London hospitals.
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Robert Craig was announced as the winner of the lottery’s top prize, which includes the choice of a home in Thorndale valued at $1.45 million, a Ritz Carlton Yacht experience plus $750,000 or $1 million in cash.
“That is awesome,” said Craig’s wife, Maria, when they received the news over the phone. “Wow.”
“It’s a tremendous surprise,” said Craig, who said he buys tickets every year. “The family will benefit tremendously.”
Asked what their choice would be, Craig said they had not been to the house yet, so they would make a decision after seeing it.
The second big prize, the lottery’s 50/50 draw, went to David Shirley, who will be taking home $525,320.
All proceeds from the lottery, started in 1996, go to support hospital expenses not covered by the provincial government, including new medical equipment and funds for research.
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“Every dollar has stayed in our community, and that means we have better health care in our community. We have health-care advancements that wouldn’t happen otherwise,” said Michelle Campbell, president and chief executive of the St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation.
“It means we get some technology faster; we get the latest and greatest sooner, and we get to pioneer some of that in London.”
In the case of St. Joseph’s, Campbell said proceeds from the lottery will be used to purchase new ultrasound probes for the hospital’s da Vinci surgical robot, also bought with money from the lottery. The device makes procedures less invasive and gives doctors the ability to perform surgeries with greater accuracy.
“This is very high-tech, very important work that wouldn’t happen without the Dream Lottery,” Campbell said.
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