Editor:
Reasons why I support the Quesnel and District Hospice Palliative Care Association and the 11th annual Hike for Hospice.
Our son Michael died sixteen years ago. It was an extremely difficult time for us. We received wonderful support from our family, friends, co-workers and complete strangers.
We also received counseling through our work.
We were very devastated and needed all of these people to support us in our time of tragedy.
A year after our son died, my mother was diagnosed with cancer and died in a hospital in Vancouver.
When we knew that she was close to the end, we flew down to Vancouver to be with her.
She was in a very small room (more like a cubbyhole) with a bed and a reclining chair for my sister and me to take turns sleeping in along with an ordinary kitchen type chair.
When our mom died our whole family (two brothers, my sister, in laws and my cousin and nieces and nephews) were all at the hospital.
We stood in a hallway to grieve for our mom as there was no other place for us. We felt that our mom was not treated with dignity and wished for a better place for her to spend her last days. She deserved better.
The next year, my husband’s mother was diagnosed with cancer and died in a hospital in Mission, B.C.
The Mission hospital had a separate room for her with an extra bed for family members and plenty of chairs for all of us.
There was another room that had a kitchen and living area for the family when they were not with my husband’s mother.
My husband and his brothers and families all had a chance to say a proper good bye to his mom.
This was a much better outcome than the year before.
These are the reasons why I became involved with and support the Quesnel and District Hospice Palliative Care Association.
• I wanted there to be grief support in Quesnel for people who did not have the support our family had when our son died.
• I wanted there to be a place in Quesnel for people to die in dignity surrounded by their family and friends.
• I wanted there to be a place in Quesnel for people to die with their family around them that was homey and comfortable.
The Quesnel and District Hospice Palliative Care Association supports families living with a life threatening illness from the beginning of their illness through the grief process.
They have amazing volunteers who sit with the patients and help give support to the families. They provide both individual and group grief support to any and all who request it. Quesnel has a Hospice Unit at Dunrovin Park Lodge which is homey and comfortable for people to die in dignity surrounded by their family and friends.
Please come out and support the ongoing services of the association at the 11th annual Hike for Hospice on Sunday May 6th at Lebourdais Park. Registration begins at 12 noon and the Hike begins at 1p.m. Remember all funds raised in Quesnel, stay in Quesnel.
Thank you
Judy Monych
Quesnel