Canuck Place Newsletter - March 2014

Courage canuckplace.org

Builders Donor Newsletter

In this Issue The Dr. in the Bow-tie.............2 Your Gifts at Work......................2 A Quiet Space..............................2 A Community That Cares......3 Your Company Can Help .....3 Opening in Abbotsford...........4 Around the Province................4

1690 Matthews Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6J 2T2 Tel: 604.731.4847 Toll-Free: 1.877.882.2288 E-mail: information@canuckplace.org

A Message From the CEO: Thank you!

Thank you! By supporting Canuck Place, you give our children and families a very special gift.

You give them the chance to live in the moment. You give kids the time and space to be children, Margaret McNeil rather than just patients. You give their parents the chance to be a mom and dad, rather than

just caregivers. You give them the sanctuary to cherish every minute, and every hour with their child. Especially when there are not many minutes and hours left.

For giving kids and their families that most precious gift of all – the time to love and to be together – I thank you.

Margaret McNeil, Chief Executive Officer

Kaden – “our courageous, loved and forever missed son” Kaden Thomas really knew how to live in the moment. And thanks to his family and Canuck Place, he lived a lifetime of moments in his 16 years.

Kaden stayed at Canuck Place as a young child while his family used our counselling services. His family attended Christmas parties, family picnics, and visited the PNE and Science World. A world of experiences that other families enjoy.

But which can be so challenging with a sick child.

Kaden & his brother Colby

As Kaden grew older, and the gap between himself and his peers made him feel isolated, he became active in Canuck Place’s Teen programs. It was during this time that he met his ‘best friend’. Kaden’s self-esteem grew.

As Kaden started to ask more questions about death, Canuck Place’s counsellors became a vital part of the family again, supporting his mother, Jennifer, in talking about death with her son. “In that experience, we grew closer. It paved the way for a very open and peaceful parenting experience as he neared the end of his life.”

The next year proved to be the final year of Kaden’s life. With the unwavering support of Canuck Place, the Thomas’ were a strong family, and able to face Kaden’s final months “with closeness and rekindled spirit.”

As Jennifer says, “Canuck Place support does not end with life.” Eric, Spiritual Care Leader at Canuck Place officiated at Kaden’s Celebration of Life in Kelowna. The family attended grief support sessions, and a special family day camp on Gambier Island on the first Mother’s Day after Kaden passed away.

Finally, Jennifer attended Remembering our Children, a candlelight memorial service remembering the lives of Canuck Place children. “It was a beautiful service - a way to say goodbye to Kaden, and also farewell to that home and family within its walls. The Canuck Place family all cared for us so well, in very unique ways. It was a beautiful ending to a very long hard journey fought and lived by our son.”

A Peek Inside Canuck Place Come inside our doors, and meet some of the people and spaces that make it so very special here.

Dr. Hal Siden – The Doctor in the Bow-tie To Dr. Siden, palliative care is about helping children and families live while they face life-threatening illnesses. He believes this includes the child, family and everyone who is important to them. From a parent’s workplace and colleagues, to a sick child’s best friend.

As Canuck Place’s Medical Director, Dr. Siden has a big job, leading an expert medical team who oversees increasingly complex medical conditions. But his passion is treating each child as an individual.

Dr. Siden witnesses children living in the moment every day. “We had a child who really valued going to school – it was the most important thing for her. She had a science project, and she was going to finish no matter what. She was in school literally the day before she died

at Canuck Place, doing her project – committed to living in the moment.

Once she finished that Dr. Hal Siden project she felt that her work was done, and then she was able to die peacefully.”

Says Dr. Siden, “Children just want to know how to make the day in front of them the best. It’s this courage that continues to inspire and astound me every day.”

And Dr. Siden understands the importance of donors such as you. “The Canuck Place program is built on the shoulders of hundreds of staff, volunteers and donors.

There is no such thing as Canuck Place without them.”

Your Gifts at Work

A Quiet Space Newly bereaved parents are often not quite ready to join a bereavement group. And yet they have a tremendous need for a safe haven and compassionate support. With the help of our donors, we have created a special Library in the Hospice. A nook of peace and solitude where parents can turn to books and other resources on grief, loss, wellness and health. A place where they can be quiet and alone.

Knowing that there are open arms and compassionate listeners just steps away, whenever they should need them.

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Canuck Place Courage Builders

A Community That Cares Thank you!

You Light up our Lives We were overwhelmed by the generosity of our supporters during last holiday season’s Light up Their Lives Campaign.

Generous donors like you gave over $150,000 for our children and families.

And thanks to the generous matching gift of John and Claire Nicola and Nicola Wealth Management, those donations became $225,000. That’s a tremendous contribution.

In all, our donors helped light 30,000 lights this holiday. You helped turn Canuck Place into a shining beacon of hope that lit up the neighbourhood and brought joy to our youth and families.

Father and Son Volunteers For ten years, young Jacob Pallai has been raking the Hospice grounds every Saturday morning – rain or shine – throughout fall and winter.

His father, Mark, works alongside him to keep our grounds spotless and safe for our guests.

This beautiful tradition began when Jacob was just two years old. He and Thanks Jacob! his dad were walking through the garden area, when the little boy noticed fallen leaves, and became worried that the hospice children would slip and fall. He offered to rake them up, and his act of kindness has continued every year since.

Thank you, Jacob and Mark, for building courage for Canuck Place kids and families-we are so grateful!

Ways Your Company Can Help There are so many ways that employees and companies can get involved.

• Enter a team in an upcoming fundraising event, like the BMO Vancouver Marathon on May 4th. Or our Gift of Time Gala in late September. Visit www.canuckplace.org/events for the latest updates.

• Does your company volunteer?

Companies contributing at a certain level can set up a dedicated volunteer day, or provide a team of people to help with one of our existing special events. It’s a great way to engage with Canuck Place and the community.

• You can make a donation through your paycheque! Over 15,000 companies in Canada match their employee donations – why not find out if yours is one of them?

• Your organization can make a corporate donation, or sponsor one of our programs or special events.

Whatever way you can help, and no matter the amount you choose to give, it will make a huge difference. Contact Jennifer Polci at Jennifer.Polci@canuckplace.org for more details.

As Sweet as Their Chocolate Brookside Farms is a delicious chocolatier based in B.C.’s beautiful Fraser Valley.

Now teamed up with Hershey, Brookside is every bit as sweet as their product. In December, Brookside-Hershey Canada presented Canuck Place with a cheque for $150,000, which will support our new Abbotsford hospice as we get it ready for children and their families.

We extend our sincere thanks to this caring company, and all the employees who helped by fundraising during Halloween and the Creative Challenge.

Canuck Place Courage Builders

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Because of you Canuck Place – Dave Lede House – Abbotsford Thanks to the commitment and vision of our donors, we are thrilled to announce that our second Hospice is complete! And we will begin community services in the next few months in the Fraser Valley.

You know that Canuck Place has helped care for children and families facing lifethreatening illnesses for almost twenty years, but more children and families need our help.

Our second Hospice in Abbotsford will help us reach many more of these children and their families. It will double our current capacity – offering

9 beds and five family suites. And it’s all come about because of the compassion and support of our donors. It’s hard to express how grateful we are to our donors, sponsors, and partners. And it’s wonderful to see their dreams – your dreams – become a reality.

As you read this, our team is working hard to fill this house with everything from medical equipment, to kitchen appliances, and hospital beds. Soon we will be able to open the doors, and create those extraordinary moments and lasting memories for BC children and families.

Did you know that making a monthly donation is a wonderful way to support Canuck Place? Just a few pennies a day makes a big difference.

You can become a monthly donor at canuckplace.org or by calling 604.731.4847.

Around the Province

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Most people know that Canuck Place is a children’s hospice located in Vancouver. They know about the comfort and care we have offered sick children and their families for almost 20 years. But few people know how wide-reaching our services are. We help over 500 children and families right around the province.

And the vast majority of our work (80%, in fact) is funded by generous supporters like you.

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Our medical and nursing staff provide consultation, advice and support to families 24 hours per day, on our toll-free phone line. They make a huge difference in the lives of families looking after their children at home in remote communities. Our pediatric nurses and physicians are only a phone call away. Because they stay in touch with these families, they know their children’s medical conditions well, and can offer the very best outreach available.

Canuck Place Courage Builders

We also offer expert advice, education and consultation to other health care workers, home care agencies and social workers.

Members of our team include a spiritual care leader, a recreation therapist, counsellors, physicians, and clinical nurse specialists. All family members may seek counselling support with us at any time.

Our care philosophy is holistic. We believe that our care must address each child and their family’s unique needs. We respect, honour and celebrate all who are in our care and all whom we have known.

Leaving a legacy in your will is a beautiful way to make sure that your support of Canuck Place children and families continues into the future. The next time you are making or changing your will, perhaps you’ll consider talking with your advisor about making a bequest to Canuck Place.

For more information, please contact Jacky Eames at jacky.eames@canuckplace.org.