Donate to the Victor Lei Pharmacy Scholarship Fund

"After long shifts at the pharmacy, Victor would go help wrap spring rolls at his parent's Chinese restaurant."

"He was always giving, never expecting anything back in return."

"Victor's dream was to open up a pharmacy in Matheson to provide the best care for people in his community."

Dr. Victor Lei, PharmD, passed away unexpectedly on March 22nd, 2023. He was 28 years old.

Once in a blue moon, you get to meet someone like Victor - generous, giving, gentle - with quite literally a heart of gold. As a son, brother, friend, and pharmacist, he embodied the essence of "community", serving with humility and genuine compassion for all those around him. His ambitions were simple, to provide the best care for the people of his community in northern Ontario.

Victor's story began on a sunny day on August 26, 1994, when he was born to his loving parents, Lek Iao Lei and Jin Juan Chen, at Timmins and District Hospital. Growing up, he showed a remarkable passion for learning, which led him to graduate at the top of his class at O’Gorman High School in 2012. Victor's thirst for knowledge took him to the University of Waterloo, where he pursued his dreams of becoming a pharmacist.

Throughout his studies, Victor dedicated himself to various co-ops at local pharmacies and hospitals in northern Ontario. In 2018, he earned his Doctor of Pharmacy degree, a testament to his unwavering commitment to his education and career.

After completing his studies, Victor returned to his roots in northern Ontario, where he began his career at Iroquois Falls Guardian Pharmacy. He took great pride in serving his community as a pharmacist, tirelessly working to ensure that his patients received the care they deserved. His passion for his work was evident to all who knew him, and he brought joy and comfort to everyone he served.

Victor's love for his community was deep-seated, and he remained a lifelong resident of northern Ontario. He only left the north to pursue his studies in Waterloo, and upon returning, he seized every opportunity to give back to his community.

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Victor Lei, a dedicated pharmacist and lifelong advocate for his beloved northern Ontario community. To honor Victor's unwavering dedication to providing healthcare to his patients, we are raising funds to establish a scholarship in his name at the University of Waterloo's School of Pharmacy. The scholarship will support aspiring pharmacy students who share Victor's commitment to caring for their community and improving healthcare outcomes. If we raise our goal of $10,000, we can provide a $1000 scholarship every year to one deserving student from a northern Ontario community, for ten years. This scholarship will enable talented and impact-driven students to pursue their dreams of becoming pharmacists and carrying on Victor's legacy of care and dedication to the people of his community.

Join us in honouring Victor's memory by contributing to this scholarship fund.

In loving memory of

Dr. Victor Lei, PharmD

August 26, 1994 – March 22, 2023

Obituary

All funds collected will be given directly to Victor's family to be donated to a dedicated scholarship fund created by the UW School of Pharmacy under Victor's name. The $300 covers the GoFundMe transaction cost to ensure we have the full, minimum $10,000 to go towards the scholarship. If you'd like to donate separately for a direct tax receipt from UW, use this link and fill out the "In Memory of" Tribute section.