An Alberta family has donated $15 million to the Alberta Children’s Hospital to help children with chronic pain.

The money, the largest donation ever made to the foundation, will help create the Vi Riddell Children’s Pain and Rehabilitation Centre, a clinic at the hospital. Vi Riddell, who passed away less than a year ago, was a nurse there.

“This hospital and the children who need it always held a special place in Vi’s heart,” said her husband Clay Riddell in a statement on Monday. “My family and I truly hope this new centre will find new ways to reduce the pain and disability that kids experience so they can grow up to live happy and productive lives.”

Dr. Peter Farran, a pediatric anesthesiologist and pain medicine specialist at the hospital, told CBC News the money will help children with chronic pain and disabilities like cerebral palsy.

“We have a small clinic that operates – due to a shortage of funding– only one day a week. It consists of a team of professionals of different disciplines helping these kids,” he said. “We are hoping for a new bigger location, more staff, which really is the critical thing, some new equipment to help us with treatments and access to a swimming pool…gymnasium [and] school.”

Riddell is listed by Forbes as one the world's billionaires.