Bayshore and its employees have raised $1.2 million over the past eight years to help give more Canadians access to hospice palliative care services, such as pain management, caregivers and bereavement.
Staff at nearly 60 Bayshore Home Health locations across the country will once again come together to raise money for hospices in their communities. For many, those efforts include joining thousands of Canadians on Sunday, May 4, for the annual Hike for Hospice Palliative Care. The national fundraising event, which spans more than 100 communities, is organized by the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association. The Hike also marks the start of National Hospice Palliative Care Week.
“Bayshore nurses and caregivers know first-hand how important hospice palliative care to providing quality of life for people coping with chronic illnesses,” says Holly Quinn, Bayshore HealthCare’s chief nursing officer. “Our goal is to make sure this vital support is available to all that need it no matter where they live.”
Hospice palliative care programs allow patients, including children, to gain more control over their lives, manage pain and symptoms more effectively and provide support to family and informal caregivers. Despite the many benefits, more than 70 per cent of people dying in Canada do not have access to hospice palliative care, which is funded disproportionately by private donors. The Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association is working toward ensuring that more Canadians receive the end-of-life care they deserve.
Bayshore has been a national founding sponsor for Hike for Hospice since 2006. Last year, Bayshore HealthCare raised $165,000 for the Hike. Staff participation is not limited to the actual event. Most branches conduct various fundraising efforts throughout the year, including golf tournaments, guest speaker conferences, book and bake sales, dances and fashion shows.
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