Lithuanian Canadian dentists and philanthropists Angelė and Sigitas Kazlauskas bequeathed CAD 7 million (about EUR 4.7 million) to the philanthropic VU Endowment Fund. 90 per cent, of the donation (around EUR 4.2 million) is being used to set up the Angelė and Sigitas Kazlauskas Endowment Sub-fund, whose return on investment will ensure continued funding for the development of pediatric odontology at VU, as well as the improvement of odontology studies and research.

Reception with the Rector of Vilnius University. From left to right: Dalius Jatužis, Vilma Brukienė, Justinas Noreika, Rimvydas Petrauskas, Algirdas Pacevičius Pace, Laisvis Makulis, Rokas Pečiulaitis

Dr Angelė Matildė Kazlauskas (1935–2020) and Dr Sigitas Pranas Kazlauskas (1935–2005) were emigrant Lithuanians from the Biržai region who, as children, were forced to flee to the West with their parents during the Second World War. Angelė and Sigitas met during their studies in Canada, where they graduated together as doctors of dental surgery (DDS) and later established their own private odontology clinic, working successfully for several decades, often treating patients free of charge and constantly funding the treatment of orphaned children and their fellow Lithuanians who were underprivileged. Dr Angelė M. Kazlauskas appointed the Lithuanian Canadian lawyer Algirdas Pacevičius Pace as trustee of her estate, who, while executing her will, decided to allocate part of the estate to establish a sub-fund in the name of the patron family at the VU Foundation.

Angelė and Sigitas Kazlauskas in The Vatican (photo: personal archive)

Angelė and Sigitas Kazlauskas Children’s Odontology Centre is being established

The return on investment of the 7-figure sub-fund will continuously finance the development of children’s odontology at VU. The Angelė and Sigitas Kazlauskas Children’s Odontology Centre is being established at the Institute of Dentistry of the VU Faculty of Medicine, which will significantly contribute to free dental care and treatment for children, prioritizing those growing up within underprivileged, socially disadvantaged families or in childcare institutions. The return on investment from the sub-fund will be used to purchase equipment and appliances for teaching and treatment in the field of pediatric odontology.

Dr Angelė M. Kazlauskas at work (photo: personal archive)

Strengthening the VU dental studies programme

Another part of the return on investment of the philanthropic sub-fund will be used to strengthen the Dentistry study programme at VU – to establish and fund the Angelė and Sigitas Kazlauskas Scholarships for students of the Dentistry study programme and to purchase the necessary learning equipment for odontology studies, such as virtual reality simulators.

Promoting the development of dental science and research at VU

The return on investment from the sub-fund will also be directed towards the development of dentistry science and research at VU – the Angelė and Sigitas Kazlauskas Fellowships and Awards will be established for the scientific or pedagogical activities in the area of odontology of the staff of the VU Faculty of Medicine. Funding will also be allocated for the purchase and renewal of equipment and appliances for research.

More about philanthropists Angelė and Sigitas Kazlauskas

Dr Angelė Matildė Kazlauskas (maiden name Kuolaitė) was born in 1935 in the village of Peikštėnai, in the municipality of Biržai district, into a family of Lithuanian intellectuals. Angelė was forced to leave Lithuania when she was only nine years old, when her family, fleeing the Soviet occupation, was taken by Latvian fishermen’s boats to the island of Gotland in Sweden, along with several other refugee families, during a storm in the Baltic Sea.

Later, in 1949, Angelė emigrated to Canada with her mother and sister. It was not an easy start in Canada – Angelė’s parents had to give up a lot for their daughters to pursue higher education. However, the effort paid off – Angelė was proud to be one of only three graduating women from a class of 150 from the University of Toronto Faculty of Dentistry in 1959.

Dr Angelė M. Kazlauskas graduating the University of Toronto (photo: personal archive)

In the same year, she married her former classmate, Dr Sigitas Pranas Kazlauskas, who was also a native of Biržai region. Together, they established their own private dental clinic in Oakville, Canada, where they successfully continued to practice dentistry for 65 years, providing dental services to thousands of patients, most of whom were of Lithuanian origin.

Angelė and Sigitas Kazlauskas often worked without remuneration – they treated their compatriots for free, took them into their homes, and transferred medicines, medical instruments and other supplies to Lithuania through them. They also established a charitable foundation in Canada, which supported the provision of dental services to orphans and needy Lithuanian citizens.

Angelė and Sigitas Kazlauskas (photo: personal archive)

The Angelė & Sigitas Kazlauskas sub-fund is being funded in stages. More information about the planned activities of the Angelė & Sigitas Kazlauskas Children’s Odontology Centre, the establishment of named scholarships and awards will be published on the websites of the VU Foundation and the Faculty of Medicine of VU, as well as on other channels of communication.

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You can also donate via a bank transfer:

IBAN → LT26 7300 0101 8485 2100 (Swedbank)
Payment purpose → Donation to A. & S. Kazlauskas Sub-fund
Recipient → Paramos fondas Vilniaus universiteto fondas (company code 304222713)

For contribution contracts over 14.5 thousand euros notarization is required. Vilnius University Foundation will take care of it. Contact us in a convenient way.