A much-welcomed presentation was made recently by the Shuswap North Okanagan Division of Family Practice when they committed $30,000 to the Shuswap Hospital Foundation as the first donation to develop two designated palliative/end-of-life care rooms at Shuswap Lake General Hospital.
With this donation, the Shuswap North Okanagan Division of Family Practice have joined the Champion Donors of the Shuswap Hospital Foundation. This will be commemorated by the placing of a ‘fish’ on the Recognition Wall at the Shuswap Lake General Hospital.
Doug Murray, Board President of the Shuswap Hospital Foundation, was pleased to accept the donation as a ‘kick-off’ to the campaign to raise $130,000, for the two designated palliative care/end-of-life care spaces.
“We are extremely excited to be part of the Community Palliative Care Committee and its hard work. The Foundation has a proud history of supporting palliative/end-of-life services and we are pleased to be involved again with this redevelopment of designated private rooms in our hospital for our patients and their families. We hope this small measure adds peace during a stressful time in life and we look forward to the support of our great community.”
The need for increased palliative and end-of-life care spaces in the Shuswap has galvanized four committed groups to come together to raise a total of $130,000 for the construction of designated palliative/end-of-life spaces with approval of Interior Health for Shuswap Lake General Hospital.
The Shuswap Hospice Society, Shuswap North Okanagan Division of Family Practice, the three Rotary Clubs of Salmon Arm and the Shuswap Hospital Foundation will be actively raising funds. The three Rotary clubs in Salmon Arm created a Tri-Club Committee to assist with the palliative care project.
The area on level two of the hospital will undergo a significant upgrade to create two well-equipped rooms for patients and their families.
Dr. Joan Bratty of the Shuswap North Okanagan Division of Family Practice is also a member of the Community Palliative Care Committee and has spent some time reviewing the need for increased palliative care in our area. She noted “Sometimes people think choosing palliative care means giving up. One of the reasons we are keen to improve our physical environment with better rooms for patients and families, is to help people understand why that is such a misunderstanding. Good palliative care is actually about giving people the opportunity to enjoy the best quality of life possible right up to the time they die.”
Interior Health anticipates that the development of these two spaces will get under way in mid-June and will take approximately eight to 10 weeks to complete.
Those who would like to help raise the funds for this palliative care project can contact the Shuswap Hospital Foundation at 250-803-4546.