Did you know that BC Children’s Hospital is home to a descendent of the original Tree of Hippocrates? Yes – the very tree on the Greek island of Kos that was alive at the time of Hippocrates, who according to legend, spent hours under the tree teaching medical ethics to his students. A direct descendant of the Hippocratic tree was planted on our site over 50 years ago by Dr. Bill Gibson, a celebrated neuroscientist at UBC. Bill entrusted the care of the tree to Dr. Judy Hall, who has since entrusted stewardship of the tree to Dr. Tim Oberlander. The tree is located south of the Shaughnessy Building, just west of the Healthy Minds building (Map).

An initial Department of Pediatrics dedication for the Tree of Hippocrates onsite took place in 2008 under leadership of Dr. Bob Armstrong. In April 2025, we hosted a BCCHR-wide Re-Dedication ceremony for the tree. The event began with a land acknowledgment by Susan Poitras, Clinical Director of Pain Care 360 at BCCH, followed by a mindful walk to the tree led by Dr. Dzung Vo, Co-Director of the BC Children's Hospital Center for Mindfulness. At the tree, Dr. Tim Oberlander and Dr. Judy Hall said a few words to commemorate the history of the tree and legacy of greenspace onsite. 

We would like to thank everyone who attended the event, as well as Dzung Vo, the Center for Mindfulness Team, Dr. Tim Oberlander, Dr. Judy Hall, and Dr. Bob Armstrong for helping make the event a success.