April 10th, 2014 — The first meeting of a large number of community individuals interested in forming a hospice society takes place. Steps are taken to form bylaws and a constitution.
July 16th, 2014 — The Powell River Hospice Society becomes Incorporated. The founding Directors are Heather Baldwin, Sandy McCartie, Susan Horsfall, Sandra Tonn and Kim Barton-Bridges. Our mission statement, values, vision, and goals are developed. Our first bank account is opened with First Credit Union, and the community service representative who opens the account becomes our first paying member.
May 3rd, 2015 — Powell River’s first annual Hike for Hospice takes place in conjunction with the national Hike and raises more than $5,000.
— First Credit Union presents us with a ‘Community Impact Grant’ of $4150. Here is a news story from Shaw TV aired in advance of the event, and describing the work we do in Powell River: https://youtu.be/0E-LahfG7cE
Fall 2015 — The first group of hospice volunteers complete their training. The Powell River Division of Family Practice provides support by paying for a contracted Hospice Coordinator for more than a year to assist the Society while it continues serving the community.
May 2016 — The PRHS receives $400,000.00 from the BC Centre for Palliative Care for the development of four community hospice beds.
Fall 2016 — A group of volunteers from Texada Island complete hospice training.
— The volunteer visiting program begins at the Powell River General Hospital and Willingdon Creek Village longterm care facility.
May 1, 2016 — The 2nd annual Hike for Hospice takes place.
May 7th 2017 — The 3rd annual Hike for Hospice raises over $10,000.
May 2017 — There are now over 50 trained hospice volunteers in Powell River.
June 2017 — The City of Powell River awards the Society a $5500 grant-in-aid.
— The Regional District Board awards the Society a $2400 grant-in-aid.
August 2017 — The Society is granted Charitable Status.
— The Society is awarded $5000 by the BC Centre for Palliative Care to host community Advance Care Planning workshops.
– Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) agrees to provide ongoing operational costs for the Hospice House. The Regional Hospital Board works with the Society and VCH on the building project.
October 2017 – The Powell River chapter of the ‘100 Women Who Care’ awards the Hospice Society over $7000.
2018 – PRHS is awarded grants-in-aid by qathet Regional District and the City of Powell River
- The Board of Directors conduct Strategic Planning sessions
- PRHS welcomes Julia Adam as a music therapy intern. Tea and Tunes, a music therapy program on the 4th floor of the hospital, is created.
- The Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem (SoSJJ) awards PRHS $5000 to begin an 8 – week Caregivers Support Group
- The PR Community Foundation awards PRHS a grant to continue music therapy in 2019
- PRHS collaborates with PR Living, The Art Center (TAC) and other community members and organizations to launch a Memento Mori event at Cranberry Cemetery
- 2019 – PRHS partners with VCH and PREP Society’s SUSTAIN Program to offer a 4-week grief group for grief due to overdose loss
- The Caregiver Support Group continues on a monthly drop-in basis; Tea and Tunes begins its second year; Advance Care Planning workshops continue to be offered.
- The SoSJJ awards PRHS $5000 in support of its bereavement programs, including a second 4-week group due to overdose loss
- The PR Community Foundation awards PRHS a grant to expand its Advance Care Planning workshops
- PRHS hires an Admin and Program Assistant
The Modern-Day Hospice Movement
“Hospice” (noun) is derived from the Latin word “hospitium,” which means hospitality or hospitable.
“Palliative” (noun or adjective) or “palliate” (verb) is derived from the Latin “palliare,” which means to cloak (from www.chpca.net).
1967 — Dame Cicely Saunders (1918 – 2005) founds the world’s first modern hospice, St. Christopher’s in Britain. Dying patients and their families receive social, emotional and spiritual care in addition to physical care.
1969 — Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross publishes On Death and Dying, the best-selling book based on more than 500 interviews with dying patients. The book argues for patient choice in end-of-life care.
1970s — Canadian physician Dr. Balfour Mount (1939 – ) coins the term palliative care.
1975 — Canada’s first hospice program opens at St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba and at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, Quebec.
1980 — British Columbia’s Ministry of Health establishes two hospice care pilot projects, in Vancouver and in Victoria.
1994 — The Canadian Palliative Care Association (CPPCA) is established in Ottawa.
2003 — The first national Hike for Hospice is held, raising more than $300,000 across Canada for community-based hospice-palliative care.