The Pace family has a long and proud history in regard to their personal contributions to health care in North Bay.
Kate Pace Lindsay feels it's only fitting, that she lend her name as honorary chair of the Nipissing Serenity Hospice Capital Campaign. The former North Bay resident, three-time Olympian and World Cup and Canadian downhill ski champion, says this project hits close to home. Over the years, her own family has had members in need of hospice care.
"Fortunately we were able to have the resources to have that person at home and provide care for my nephew who died at the age of 11. And I think of other families that might not be as well equipped and able to want to take that on, not knowing what to do. So I think it's important to have a place where people can go, families can go and have the support and services they need for their dying loved one."
Pace Lindsay thanked those who gathered at Laurier Woods Sunday for their fundraising efforts, before joining them for the 'Hike for Hospice Palliative Care' fundraiser. Proceeds will aid in the construction of Nipissing Serenity Hospice, a 10 bed, 6.2 million dollar facility, half of which will be raised locally. Over half of that commitment has been raised.
The facility is intended to be the regional 'Centre of Excellence in Palliative Care,' for terminally ill patients in the Nipissing and East Parry Sound Districts.
Chantal Chirgwin-Popp brought her young children to the hike.
"We just recently lost my aunt and uncle. Our parents are getting older, our friend's parents, and I think it would be a great option for them at the end, rather than at the hospital. It's more of a home environment, comfortable and peaceful."
Former MP Bob Wood says he received tremendous support during his stay in a Winnipeg hospice with his late wife Michelle, during her final two weeks of life.
"They gave me a lot of support, the people that worked there, the nurses and the doctors. They told me what was going to happen. Letting me know what was going on, that Michelle was not suffering. North Bay needs a hospice."
Michel Chartrand says his mother spent the last nine days of her life in hospice care in Sudbury.
"She was treated with so much respect, kindness, and care. It's long over-due for North Bay."
Aimee Clark was joined by her peers at the Co-Operators. She says the company has pledged $10,000 a year for the next 10 years.
"I think the hospice provides a really important service to the community. With so many of our population aging, I think it's extremely important, and the fact that all the funds that we raise stay in the community was important to me as well."
Mathilde Bazinet, the co-chair of the Nipissing Serenity Hospice Board of Directors, says it's important that the different cultures be honoured.
"We are very mindful that different cultures need a different environment and different ceremonial rituals at the very end, and that is the reason why we will have a sacred room, and that sacred room is to accommodate an extended family."
A sod turning ceremony is scheduled for sometime in July in anticipation of a summer opening in 2018. It will be a day or two before organizers know if they have matched or bettered last year's total of $65,000.
