Markham CEO honours late dad with 7-figure gift: 'it makes me feel good'

'I've seen amazing doctors and nurses and volunteers...they are so deeply and crazy in love with the hospital'

YorkRegion.com
November 1, 2018
Tim Kelly

Flato development CEO Shakir Rehmatullah, in honour of his late father, was proud to make a seven-figure donation to the Markham Stouffville Hospital Oct. 30.

In front of a deeply appreciative and at times emotional crowd of about 200 guests that included Premier Doug Ford, Rehmatullah, the successful 40-year-old Markham businessman, spoke from the heart about the fact his father, Habib, died of cancer just a few years after the family arrived in Canada from Karachi, Pakistan, in the late 1990s.

“All of a sudden, he got sick, was rushed to hospital and a couple of days later we found out he had cancer, within 30 days he passed away…. Since that day, I’ve felt I should do something for cancer if I could,” said Rehmatullah to a hushed crowd.

And nearly two decades later the Shakir Rehmatullah Cancer Clinic is a reality at Markham Stouffville Hospital thanks to his generous donation -- the exact sum of which was not disclosed, at his request.

The gift will help fund priority medical equipment, innovative technology and emerging hospital needs for the already operational cancer clinic.

Ford said he was “so proud of the great philanthropy,” shown by Rehmatullah.

“Shakir, you’ve done throughout Markham, whether it’s the theatre (Flato Markham Theatre), whether it’s the sports teams, and there’s probably endless other things I’m missing out on… communities can’t run without individuals like yourself giving back,” he added.

Samir Dossal, president of the Canadian-Pakistan Business Council, spoke with passion about honouring “an amazing individual in our community.

“You make us proud,” he said.

Mayor Frank Scarpitti paid tribute to Rehmatullah by saying: “Shakir believes in giving back so that services and facilities like this one will actually not only touch people’s lives but make their lives better.”

In an interview, Rehmatullah said “there are so many good people I’ve met at Markham Stouffville Hospital, whenever I’ve brought my kids here, I’ve seen amazing doctors and nurses and volunteers. They go the extra mile. They are so deeply and crazy in love with the hospital.

“If I can make somebody else’s life better, why not? It makes me feel good that I am doing something good for the community.”