August 26, 2016
The Northern Lights Health Foundation has joined forces with The Royal Canadian Legion Fort McMurray Branch 165 in support of palliative care in Wood Buffalo. From left are: foundation worker Jessica Lipton; Legion member Bill Rockwell; foundation worker Annette LeBrun; Legion President Pat Duggan; Legion member Mike Gray; foundation Vice-Chair Dean Wilcox; Jennifer Courtney, Manager of Medicine, Northern Lights Regional Health Centre; and foundation Executive Director Cindy Amerongen.
Story by Kerri Robins; photo courtesy Amelia Schofield
FORT McMURRAY — Royal Canadian Legion members across Canada have been busy this summer — pooling donations to the tune of to $1.1 million — to help support local branches in funding community needs.
The Fort McMurray Royal Canadian Legion Branch 165 recently donated $25,000 of its share of the funds to the Northern Lights Health Foundation, where the money will help fund three new palliative care suites at the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre.
The health foundation’s goal for the suites is $1.3 million — and Legion President Pat Duggan says local members want to help ensure that health care programming, supports and services in the region aren’t interrupted because of the recent wildfires.
“We wanted to assist our local non-profit organizations to keep up the good work while our city rebuilds,” says Duggan.
Registered nurse Jennifer Courtney, Manager of Medicine at the health centre, says she’s looking forward to the creation of the new suites.
“When faced with a debilitating and terminal illness, our patients and their loved ones need a quiet place to gather,” she says, “and the new palliative care suites will be designed to continue providing the peace, dignity and comfort they deserve.”
At present, two adjacent rooms are being used for palliative care. They’re the same size as an average hospital room; each room can accommodate three people, with a bed, a bathroom and a chair.
The expansion will include three suites with three adjoining family rooms, which will allow families to sleep, shower, eat and have space to grieve, talk or rest.
The new space will also feature wi-fi, Skype, a charger plug-in for electronics as well as lockers to store personal belongings. In creating a more homelike environment, the new space will also feature new furniture, flooring, wall art and homey wall colours.
Courtney says the new enclosed cabinets will not only hide hospital instruments, but will maintain strict infection-control standards.
The option of joining three existing patient and family rooms is also being explored, which would create a large open space for visitors or to perform ceremonies.
“End of life is difficult at best, and improving that last bit of quality of life includes providing clinical care in a calm, serene, home-like environment,” says Courtney.
Duggan agrees that the palliative care suites will be a welcome addition to the health centre: “Many of us have had personal experience when it comes to our health care and needing palliative care. Because so many of our members are seniors, we want to support our community, and especially seniors’ health care. Donating to our local health foundation is the perfect way for us to give back.”
The new suites are part of the larger $16 million Gratitude Campaign, launched last March, which has raised more than $6.8 million to date. The campaign focuses on eight main areas, including:
Speaking on the health foundation’s mission, executive director Cindy Amerongen says: “This campaign is all about health and family — and care close to home — and I’m really thankful for the legion’s donation and continued support.
“Creating new suites helps strengthen our community commitment to palliative care. I’m excited this project is moving forward.”
For more information, or to make a donation, please visit northernlightshealthfoundation.ca.
