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Friday, September 28 • 2012
Vol. 5 • Issue 26
Pioneer took the long way to the Valley See Page 5
Local triathlete off to New Zealand See Page 15
Kalein Hospice Centre in Rosemont
280 Baker Street Nelson BC (250)
354-4089
valhallapathrealty@telus.net www.valhallapathrealty.com
Hospice shows off new home Interior Health commits to more dialogue
SAM VAN SCHIE Photo Doug LePage
Nelson Star Reporter
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Kaslo ER
Stepping onto the new Kalein Hospice Centre property in Rosemont, you could easily forget you’re still in the city. The 10,000 square foot site — formerly home to a monastery for the Sisters of the Precious Blood — features a mature cedar grove that seems to shelter it from the hustle and bustle of the outside world. It’s there that over 200 people gathered Saturday for a land dedication ceremony and to learn how the Kalein society intended to transform the site into Nelson’s first free standing hospice. Kalein executive director Sandi Leatherman was overwhelmed by the support they received. “Bringing people together today in one place, being inspired by the beauty of the land and the losses we’ve all experienced — I don’t have the words to describe it — it’s so much more than what I imagined,” she said, wiping a tear from her eye. The society has moved its offices into the former monastery building and is currently sharing the land with SelfDesign High school, which is using it as an outdoor classroom. There’s lots of strategic planning — and lots of fundraising — needed before they can get the hospice going. But Leatherman said having the property, and a critical mass of supporters, gives her hope that her 30-year dream is close to becoming a reality.
MEGAN COLE Nelson Star Reporter
Hundreds gathered at the new Kalein Hospice Centre property for a land dedication ceremony Saturday that included big moments and small. Sam Van Schie photo
“The collective is what’s going to make this thing grow,” she said. “There are unlimited possibilities for what we can do here. Bringing people together and inviting the conversation is going to transform the fear that often keeps us separate.” Leatherman became passionate about hospice care in the ‘80s while living in San Francisco at the height of the AIDS epidemic. “I was watching my friends dying and many times they were dying alone because many times their families didn’t understand HIV/ AIDS and turned their back on them,” she said. “At that point, I became committed to something really different. Nobody should die alone.”
Home Owners helping home owners
She became involved in end-of -life care and grief work. In Nelson she connected with people who shared her passion and who are now working with her and the Kalein society to find ways to understand and celebrate death, and create a place where that’s the central focus. “The growing of a hospice house excites me. It offers another option for the people in this community,” she said. “But what excites me even more is the dialogue that can open up our hearts in ways that will heal ourselves, and the community, and the planet.” The Kalein Hospice Centre is located at 402 West Richards Street. For information see, kaleinhospice. org.
A solution may have been found for the Kaslo hospital following a meeting between Mayor Greg Lay and Interior Health Authority CEO Dr. Robert Halpenny in a pre-arranged meeting early Monday. Based on the meeting, Lay said he is “cautiously optimistic” the two groups will find a suitable solution. “The conversation started with an apology for the manner in which they had come to the community and announced the reduced ER hours,” said Lay from Victoria on Wednesday, where he is attending the Union of BC Municipalities convention. “When someone starts the conversation with an apology their credibility goes up, because now there is recognition there is an issue.” Story continues to ‘Interior’ on Page 4