SUDBURY -- The Stand By Me capital campaign by Sudbury's Hospice Foundation has surpassed a lofty goal to raise $8.1 million to expand the Maison McCulloch Hospice.
The goal was first set three years ago and the campaign raised an extra $1 million to fund an expansion of the building to serve the community better along with the development of new programs and services.
“Unbelievable, we ended up with $9.1 (million) plus, and it will be used to buy furnishings and all these extras that we just couldn’t fit in the budget, so that’s essentially where the money is going back to our residents and their families, ” said Gaston Lavigne, the executive director of Maison McCulloch Hospice.
Currently, there is a waiting list for the existing ten end-of-life beds.
Officials say three more will be added with the expansion.
"It’s often been said 'you don’t go to the hospice to die, you go to the hospice to live your life at the end on your own terms with respect, love and dignity,'" said Gerry Lougheed, the chair of the Sudbury Hospice Foundation. “There is no charge at the hospice and everybody can go there, so that is why it’s such a cornerstone of care in our community.”
Hospice officials say the 16,000 square foot expansion includes a pediatric unit and six respite beds.
“These are beds people can come and use at the hospice while their caregivers are kind of getting recharged, perhaps reorganized, getting other family and friends to help on that team. But then the person who wants to die at home can go back to home,” said Lougheed.
The expansion includes a total of 10 new beds, a training area for caregivers and extra space for the shared care team.
A grand opening is planned for this spring.
Correction:
Clarification on the expansion's pediatric bed was made by hospice officials, it is not the first pediatric bed in Ontario outside of Toronto and Ottawa. Sault Ste. Marie's ARCH Hospice added a paediatric suite in 2018 as part of its expansion.
