Hospice Stories from Our Community

Leah was stunned when her mother received a life-changing diagnosis. Her mother had always been the rock of the family, but as she got sicker, that role shifted to Leah’s shoulders. 

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Leah promised her mom she would take care of her at home, for as long as possible. But now, three years later, she’s exhausted. Her mother’s illness has progressed, and Leah is overwhelmed with managing around-the-clock caregiving, appointments, home visits, and constant medication changes. She barely has time for her own kids anymore and worries that she’s letting them down. 

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Anxious questions keep her up at night. Is her mother’s pain too much? What if 

she gets worse in the middle of the night? Is she safe and comfortable at home? 

Leah knows her father will be shattered when his wife dies. They haven’t spent a night apart in 43 years. How will she support her dad when she’s grieving too? Will she become his caregiver? 

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Leah wants to reassure her mom that the family will be ok when she’s gone, but how can she do that when she feels so lost herself? 

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You can help ease her fears and uncertainty. A gift from you will bring peace and comfort to Leah and her family in their most tender and difficult times. 

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With your help, a trained hospice volunteer will begin visiting regularly, providing wrap-around support for Leah’s mother and her whole family.

The volunteer will become part of her mother’s care team, alongside the physicians, nurses and social workers, helping Leah find her way through the many unknowns ahead. 

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When the time is right, Leah’s mother will be welcomed into her own private room at Cowichan Hospice House. Specialized medical care will keep her comfortable and manage her pain. 

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Leah’s father will spend nights sleeping next to his sweetheart in her expandable cuddle bed, and Leah will bring her children to visit each afternoon. Rosie, the family’s beloved dog, will join them, taking her place at the foot of the bed. 

Visiting loved ones will flow between her mother’s room and the kitchen, sharing memories and making meals together. 

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Each evening, Leah will watch her mother fall asleep after a calming Reiki session. Knowing that her mother is getting the care she needs, Leah will finally relax — and breathe. She’ll let go of her worries and simply be a daughter with her mother, soaking in their precious time together. 

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Leah’s mother will be at peace when she dies, surrounded by the people she loves. 

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Because of your generosity, Leah and her father will continue to have support as they navigate their overwhelming loss. 

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With your help, as her grief hits her full-force, Leah will be able to talk through her sadness and concerns with her hospice volunteer. She’ll feel safe sharing all her thoughts, even those she wouldn’t say to her father, for fear of burdening him. 

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As Leah's father faces the emptiness of losing his life partner, he'll have the one-to-one support of his own hospice volunteer. Later, he'll find comfort in a grief group with others who've been through a life-changing loss. 

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Please help make this support possible by donating today.

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Your kindness will make a profound difference to families in the Cowichan community. 

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