“Thank you, Mayor Banman and the City of Abbotsford, for recognizing the importance of hospice palliative care in British Columbia,” said Margaret McNeil, Chief Executive Officer of Canuck Place Children’s Hospice. “On behalf of children and families facing life-threatening illnesses across this province, we extend gratitude to the city for honouring their courage with today’s flag raising.”
“We are grateful to Mayor Banman, the council and the City of Abbotsford who embrace the programs and services that both Abbotsford Hospice Society and Canuck Place Children’s Hospice offer,” says Debbie Lehmann, Executive Director, Abbotsford Hospice Society. “Hospice palliative care involves an integrated approach and emphasizes quality of life for those who are living with or dying from advanced illness. In history, flags have represented rallying symbols for beliefs, principles and causes. In honour of national hospice palliative care week the flags will be a focus point representing the compassion of the community of Abbotsford.”
“The City of Abbotsford is proud to support Canuck Place Children’s Hospice and the Abbotsford Hospice Society in our community,” said Mayor Bruce Banman. “These agencies provide children, adults and families vital residential and support services in relation to life threatening illness, palliative care, and respite. We are proud to support them by raising the flags in honour of national hospice palliative care week.”
National Hospice Palliative Care Week celebrates, recognizes and shares the achievements of hospice palliative care throughout Canada.
Canuck Place Children’s Hospice: Canuck Place Children’s Hospice provides respite and family support, pain and symptom management, grief and loss counselling, art, music, education and recreation therapy, and end-of-life care to over 450 children and teens with life-threatening illnesses and families throughout British Columbia. Abbotsford will be the second facility in the province to offer Canuck Place’s world-class pediatric palliative care within a home-like environment and year-round, 24-hour consultation support. With caring, professional staff and over 300 volunteers, it is a place for children and families to come in their time of need. For more information, please visit www.canuckplace.org.
Abbotsford Hospice Society: For more than 27 years, the Abbotsford Hospice Society has helped those who are living with a terminal illness and provided programs to comfort children, teens and adults on their very personal journey of grief and loss. Services offered by specially trained volunteers and team members include one-to-one companioning, support groups, individual and family counselling and expressive therapies. Abbotsford is the only community in the region that does not have a hospice residence for adults. To meet this critical need, Abbotsford Hospice Society is building Holmberg House, a world class facility providing dignified end-of-life-care to those as young as 19 and their grieving families and friends. At hospice, you can be a family again. For more information, please visit www.abbotsfordhospice.org.
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