December 2023 PCSBV Bulletin
#202 - 1080 Railway Ave. | Canmore, AB T1W 1P4
(403) 707-7111 | pcsbv.ca
Year -end Message from CEO It’s been an extra special year!
I hope you are enjoying the festive season with family and friends in the Bow Valley, or perhaps you are venturing out to warmer climates or distant lands. May you be making the best of the season creating and remembering wonderful memories and times with those you love.
This past year, PCSBV made some great memories with all of you in the Bow Valley, our volunteers and the clients we serve. We have been fortunate to have a supportive community to help us do the important work that we do for those who need us. Key moments were from our Hike for Hospice, where we had another beautiful day in the mountains for a walk and along the journey, we raised more money than the previous year and acquired new donors and new teams of happy hikers! Our Golf for Hospice, another great fundraiser and opportunity to connect with the community, was also well attended, in fact we had the most golfers to date at 111 and outstanding donations received both financially and in- kind! Thanks to these two events, and all who took part and donated, we have been able to support more people in our community. Just recently, we had our first ever Community Summit in October with our special guests, Dr. Mannix, Dr. Seow and Dr. Winemaker and more than 300 Bow Valley residents joined us for 15 events and insightful conversations and memories we will keep for a long time to come. Community connections and meaningful conversations are just part of the great year we have had. This year, PCSBV piloted and launched successful new programs such as the Dementia Care Team, the Life after Caregiving Group and the Art Therapy Group. All of which will continue into the new year. Our clients feel cared for and supported, and it is so special to us to know our team and our volunteers are addressing the needs of the community. Additionally, one of the best outcomes we could have received was the approval of the Land Use Bylaw for the Hospice as council approved Municipal Development Plan and Land Use Bylaw amendments for 800 Ave, which proposes up to five detached homes and a new hospice facility on the site. We greatly appreciate the Town’s decision as well as the generosity of the landowners, and are excited to move forward with our vision and plans for 2024. It has truly been an extra special year for the Palliative Care Society of the Bow Valley. We are ending the year on a very positive note with gratitude and thankfulness in our hearts. May you all be as blessed with peace this holiday season as we feel blessed after such an incredible year.
With kind regards,
Theresa Radwell
YEAR IN REVIEW 2023 PCSBV HIGHLIGHTS Art Therapy Group Life After Caregiving Group Living with Loss Group New Support Groups Launched
New Volunteer Teams Created Grief Practioners Team Demetia Care Team
Volunteers Hours and Training Grief Practioners Team Demetia Care Team 35 Volunteers Trained 2300 Volunteer hours worked
Welcomed new board members and 2023-24 Board Chair, Rosemary Boulton Board of Directors PCSBV New Staff Hyo-Jung Jwa joined the team as Volunteer Coordinator
Speakers Series
Community Compassion & Care Summit 2023 Special guests Dr. Kathryn Mannix, Dr. Sammy Winemaker and Dr. Hsein Seow 15 events in a week and more than 300 participants!
PCSBV CareCast Lauched
Golf for Hospice
$12,000 Raised in 2023 New donors and new hikers joined the fundraising event Hike for Hospice
More that 100,000 in donations and inkind gifts Most golfers participated with 111 players
Council approved Municipal Development Plan and Land Use Bylaw amendments for 800 Ave, which proposes up to five detached homes and a new hospice facility on the site. Hospice Land Use Bylaw Approval!
SUPPORT OUR WORK
Area of Greatest Need donations are used for programs currently with the greatest need of your financial support.
PCSBV ANNUAL APPEAL
Tributes honour a family member, friend, or loved one.
At the Palliative Care Society of the Bow Valley, the person, the family, and loved ones are important to us, not the illness. What matters most to each of our clients is at the heart of what we do. We provide critical support to those in our community experiencing life-changing circumstances, including diagnoses, chronic conditions, and grief, while helping navigate the path ahead. The requests for our programs and support is increasing significantly and we must continue to expand our work to meet the demand. With our partners, we will continue to meet the needs of our Bow Valley clients and their families. Our purpose is to support Bow Valley residents with a palliative approach to care wherever they call home, including a building at the heart of our work. As we move ahead, we will not lose sight of the ever-growing need for the essential services we provide every day. Never has your support been more needed. With your donation, we can say "yes, we are here for you" when members of our Bow Valley community reach out and ask for our help.
Monthly donations will ensure constant support throughout the years.
**Donations of $25 or more will receive a charitable receipt.
WAYS TO SUPPORT
Click on the link >>> DONATE
Online at www.pcsbv.ca and click on the “Donate” button.
Send a cheque to:
Palliative Care Society of the Bow Valley, PO Box, 40113, Canmore Crossing, Canmore, AB, T1W 3H9.
Please donate today!
In the circle of life, we all have a defined beginning and a defined end. In between these bookends of life are millions of moments that write our life story.
THANK YOU!
Theresa Radwell Chief Executive Officer
Yet, in the instant of a diagnosis of a life changing illness, each moment becomes finite and precious.
P ROGRAMS PCSBV
LIFE AFTER CAREGIVING GROUP
LIVING WITH LOSS GROUP
Life After Caregiving is a facilitated group supporting individuals adjusting following the death of a loved-one for whom they were caregivers. In the months following the end of an intense caregiving role, navigating a new normal that is comfortable and rewarding can be challenging.
Is There Life After Caregiving?
In reflecting upon experiences as a caregiver, the following questions may arise:
Open to all who are 18+ to drop-in and have a sociable conversation with other attendees and enjoy discussions around remembrance, resilience, and reflection. Location: Canmore Recreation Centre 1900 - 8 Avenue - (Participants meet at the front desk) DECEMBER 2023 - HOLIDAY BREAK JANUARY 2024 DATES: WEDNESDAYS -10, 17, 24, 31 1:30 - 2:30 PM
What is my place in the world after caregiving?
Who am I now that my loved-one has died?
The Life After Caregiving support group is available for anyone bereft of their caregiver role. DECEMBER 2023 - HOLIDAY BREAK 2024 DATES: JAN 10, 24, FEB 7, 21, MAR 6
BLUE MONDAY EVENT JANUARY 15, 2023
In collaboration with Canmore FCSS
3:30-5 PM at the PCSBV Office
Supper at 6 PM at the Miner’s Union Hall followed by facilitated table conversation. The evening finishes off at the Canmore Civic Centre with the trees of loss where participants are invited to write about a 2023 loss on a leaf to hang on our loss trees. No Fee to participate. This is part of the FCSS Community Conversations Series.
info@pcsbv.ca
Register at:
403-707-7111.
Sign up for the PCSBV Volunteer Training courses for the month of December. Available courses and dates can be found on our Volunteer Training Calendar.
VOLUNTEER TRAINING CALENDAR PCSBV
More details to come. Contact Bill at bill.harder@pcsbv.ca to register.
TOWN OF CANMORE Mayor's Volunteer Celebration
Volunteer Appreciation Awards for our PCSBV Volunteers!
Lynn Cooper
As part of a local coffee group, Lynn’s husband saw many of his fellow members lose local connections with their social and hobby groups through their illnesses. They had to be transferred to Cochrane, Calgary, Okotoks, or Olds and their partners and friends could no longer drive to visit them. Lynn found it heartbreaking that these locals had to leave their home in the mountains to receive specialized care. Because of this, Lynn was a founding member of the Palliative Care Society of the Bow Valley (PCSBV) and started the organization with a group of other local volunteers in 2014. She contributed many volunteer hours in obtaining society status for PCSBV in 2016 along with developing bylaws for the society. Lynn has 20 years of nursing in Obstetrics and public health in the Northwest Territories before retiring in Canmore. Throughout her career she observed that dying patients don’t die well in hospitals as the goal of these facilities is to recover and go home. She also noticed that it’s not fair to healthcare practitioners and patients to be subject to one type of hospital setting. In healthcare there are many types of clients and patients, such as clients with a palliative diagnosis or clients who are experiencing the birth of their child, which require very different care needs. She wanted to bring the Bow Valley together to make this spectrum of healthcare known and that specialized care for palliative patients is needed in the Bow Valley. Lynn’s main contribution through her volunteer work was creating PCSBV and getting this message of local palliative care known in the Bow Valley. Through her volunteer work with PCSBV she was instrumental in establishing PCSBV as a charitable society to fundraise for local palliative care and build awareness for the importance of a hospice in the Bow Valley. In June 2023 her dream and efforts have come to fruition as approval of the hospice building and land use has been granted! Lynn has had a positive experience in her research and through the connections she made during the establishment of PCSBV. She has had a huge amount of help to make this all happen with the support of many other volunteers on the Board of directors, nurses, doctors, in particular the Foothills Country Hospice Society in Okotoks and Dr. Eric Wasylenko. If you have met Lynn, you know how special she is and what a gift she is in our community, we are lucky to have her! Lynn’s passion for lifelong learning, positivity through adversity, and enthusiasm for life is infectious. She currently volunteers with PCSBV as a client care volunteer and through mountain cabin quilters guild.
Congratulations to these outstanding volunteers! We are proud to recognize their contributions in the community and within our organization. They embody excellence in volunteerism and are contributing factors to personal wellbeing and the quality of life to the Bow Valley community. We thank them for their volunteer dedication.
Julie Hamilton
Since 2017 Julie has been a volunteer with the Palliative Care Society of the Bow Valley (PCSBV). In 2020 Julie stepped up even further for PCSBV and wholeheartedly put herself to work for 3 years as board chair. In this volunteer role, she built many relationships that forged the way to where PCSBV is today. Because of Julie, the dream of a hospice building in Canmore is a reality and she has committed countless hours to promoting and researching palliative care for the Bow Valley. She has had, and continues to have, humble and purposeful discussions to communicate an educated understanding of why a hospice building is needed locally. Building philanthropic relationships for PCSBV is one of Julie’s passions, and because of her volunteer work in this area, PCSBV has strong relationships with our valued donors, who support our programs and fundraising efforts for the hospice. Julie also dedicated time to speaking publicly on many occasions for PCSBV and stood by other dedicated supporters at the TOC town hall about the hospice land in 2022. This town hall was an important step in land use decisions for the hospice building. All in all, Julie selflessly volunteers to build a more compassionate community with a well-rounded local understanding of palliative care and how important the palliative journey is for those that travel it along with their loved ones. Julie continues to volunteer for PCSBV as the hospice campaign chair and when she’s not volunteering, she is an avid golfer, skier, and photographer.
TOWN OF CANMORE Mayor's Volunteer Celebration
Volunteer Appreciation Awards for our PCSBV Volunteers!
Diana Law
Diana has contributed countless volunteer hours to the growth and development of the Palliative Care Society of the Bow Valley (PCSBV). Since 2014 she worked with PCSBV as a founding member of the society and has generously given her time on many committees. Most notably as chair of the Stoney Nakoda First Nations Morley (SNFNM) Working Group where she committed 2.5 years of volunteering to cultivate relationships with our neighboring indigenous communities. This working group allowed for the voices of the SNFNM to be heard and included in the planning processes of PCSBV. Through this working group Diana and the committee developed a report titled The Circle of Life which provided information collected directly from the people of SNFNM about their palliative care needs. Diana’s main contributions through her volunteer work were helping to create PCSBV as a society and conveying the palliative care needs of the SNFNM communities.
Diana also chaired the PCSBV’s first Communications Committee and during its inception she helped create pathways of conversations and collaborations. Such as PCSBV’s connection with Mount Royal College students to develop PCSBV’s communication strategy. Currently Diana also volunteers with AHS at Canmore General hospital and has continually supported PCSBV through providing consultation to PCSBV staff and other volunteers about SNFNM and the history of PCSBV. Diana’s recent move from Canmore to Cochrane instigated PCSBV to nominate her to ensure her 10+ years of volunteer work in Canmore and surrounding communities has not gone unrecognized. If you have met Diana, you know her compassion and kindness shines through every connection she makes! 3 . Christmas Placemats - Having been made every year for about 20 years in support of our seniors in Banff and Canmore, placemats are gifted at Christmas time with many of the placemats being made with non-seasonal themed fabric on the back in order that the recipient may use the beautiful placemats all year round. In 2021 MCQG distributed about 35 placemats to St. Martha’s (at Banff Mineral Springs hospital) and the Mt. Edith House Seniors home. In Canmore 18 placemats were provided to our local “Meals on Wheels” organization. 4 . YWCA Tote Bags - Made by volunteers and in collaboration with St. Michael’s Anglican Church Ladies Auxiliary. Each tote bag is filled with necessity items, such as toothbrushes and toothpaste, and provided to women in need at no cost staying at the Banff YWCA. About 35-50 Tote Bags have been made each year for about 20 years. 5 . Touch Quilts - Since 2016 volunteers have been making touch lap quilts for people living with dementia in the Bow Valley. The squares in the quilts vary in texture and colour, and offer comfort and tactile stimulation. Add-ons such as pockets, Velcro and ties provide additional tactile and visual stimulation for dementia patients. These quilts upcycle scraps and are backed with flannel to keep them from slipping. 6 . Cat Beds - fabric scrap bags are turned into cat beds. The beds were donated to the animal shelter by the Mountain Cabin Quilters Guild in January 2023. It is a great idea to upcycle fabric scraps and support our local SPCA!
Mountain Cabin Quilters Guild
The Mountain Cabin Quilters Guild (MCQG) deserves extra special recognition because of the amazing work and creative initiatives they do to support our community! Each initiative listed below supports local Bow Valley residents in need with a handmade item crafted by the guild’s volunteers. The handmade items are a comforting gift of love and kindness to those in times of need. 1 . Precious Belongings Bags - Produced by members of the Mountain Cabin Quilters Guild, these bags are a gift from MCQG volunteers to families grieving a recent death. Each bag is intended to transport home the personal items left behind by a loved one who has passed on. The bags are a sign of compassion for family and friends in a difficult time. The Palliative Care Society of the Bow Valley helps to promote and coordinate this initiative and currently provides bags to Canmore General Hospital and Banff Mineral Springs Hospital. In 2022-23, 60 Precious Belongings Bags were made. 2 . HUGS Quilts - A project that provides handmade quilts created by MCQG members for residents living in the Bow Valley who are receiving chemotherapy treatments at the Canmore General Hospital as well as for Guild members who have become seriously ill. Since 2012, MCQC volunteers have distributed 252 quilts.
Rotary Club of Canmore Festival of Trees
READI NG RECOMMENDATION
Living with Death and Dying By Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
Head down to the Malcolm Hotel this holiday season and check out the beautiful trees including our PCSBV Tree!
This book focuses on How to Communicate with the those living with a life-changing illness. It is one of 23 books the author has written on the subject of death and dying before she passed away in 2004. You can find out more about her and her other books here.
The #PCSBV tree is generously sponsored by Rob Currie and his wife Ingrid. BIG thank you to our volunteers who decorated it, Jackie wearing glasses and Doreen.
"Every life is a story. What is the joy in your story?"
V I DEO RECOMMENDATION Volunteer Jackie Baker talks about what it’s like being a PCSBV Volunteer is this latest CareCast.
SPECIAL DAYS & AWARENESS DATES
Alzheimer’s Awareness Month New Years Day - January 1 Blue Monday - January 15 World Cancer Day - February 4
From the PCSBV Team!
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