The buzz at this year’s Sunflower Fundraising Luncheon (Friday, October 4) was palpable, as a full house of 275 guests raised over $200,000 to help build Edmonton’s first residential community hospice.

“The Roozen Family Hospice Centre will house our wrap-around support programs for the whole family, in addition to a 24/7 hospice palliative residence – all in home-like comfort in a beautiful community neighbourhood”, said Monica Robson, Executive Director of Pilgrims Hospice Society.

Guest speaker, Dr. Eric Wasylenko – who was fundamental in establishing the residential community hospice in Okotoks – spoke of Pilgrims pursuing the correct model by building on a longstanding record of service to vulnerable people in the community who are facing the end of life, their families and those who are grieving, and now adding hospice beds to adequately serve the population.

While surveys show that most people prefer to die at home, the majority of Canadians still die in a hospital setting. Dr. Wasylenko addressed this by saying:

“The choice to be in hospice is often ideal for people – it is where families can be families instead of medication monitors and middle of the night care providers, and where the person we are caring for can get immediate interventions when necessary and where the supports exist to make the time there as normalized and person-focused and home-like as possible.”

Wasylenko also spoke of the need for community support:

“It is our job as neighbors and communities to serve each other, and especially those in our midst who are vulnerable…. Pilgrims Hospice Society has walked the talk of service and is now operationalizing the dream of a hospice home that I believe Edmonton needs and deserves. It will be you – you as a community serving each other – who brings it to reality.”

For more information on the Roozen Family Hospice Centre and the Home for Hospice campaign visit: www.HomeForHospice.com