Story Posted: 2019-05-28
Sod Turning Heralds Start of Construction for New Hospice in Saskatoon with Significant Gift from Leslie and Irene Dubé
Hospice at Glengarda Sod Turning Ceremony Participants (l-r) Karen Barber, St. Paul’s Hospital Executive Director; Sharon Garratt, Saskatchewan Health Authority Vice-President Integrated Urban Health; David Patola, Emmanuel Health Board Chair; Leslie and Irene Dubé; Bishop Mark Hagemoen; David Buckingham, MLA for Saskatoon-Westview; Neil Weber, St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation Board Chair
(May 28, 2019 - Saskatoon)–Excitement was high today as community gathered to witness the ceremonial sod-turning to mark the start of construction for The Hospice at Glengarda, Saskatchewan’s first free-standing residential hospice.
Officiated by St. Paul’s Hospital Executive Director Karen Barber, the event featured moving words from Bishop Mark Hagemoen, who also performed a blessing for the facility: “Hospice care is an essential feature of the mission of a Catholic health care provider. There is much excitement and gratitude for the work by Emmanuel Health and St. Paul’s Hospital in their support and provision of compassionate and dedicated end-of-life care.”
St. Paul’s Hospital is developing the new 15 bed hospice, a Catholic health facility governed by Emmanuel Health, operated in partnership with the Saskatchewan Health Authority and supported by the Government of Saskatchewan.
David Patola of Emmanuel Health is thrilled that St. Paul’s Hospital is leading the charge to advance end-of-life care in Saskatoon. “Breaking ground for this hospice is the culmination of many years of research, consultation and planning and the result of the commitment and dedication of so many people over the years,” he said. “St. Paul’s Hospital has long been a leader in palliative care and we are delighted to be able to take this important work one step further with The Hospice at Glengarda.”
Construction and renovations to the Glengarda facility are funded as a part of St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation’s larger $20 million Close to Home Campaign for Hospice and End-of-life Care.
At the event, a generous $2 million gift to the campaign from local community philanthropists Leslie and Irene Dubé was unveiled. “Leslie and Irene Dubé are deeply committed to supporting not only this hospice, but also the health and well-being of our entire community,” said St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation Board Chair Neil Weber. “We are grateful to the Dubés who have been working on this project with us since the very beginning.”
The Government of Saskatchewan provided $1.4 million in operational funding for this facility in 2019-20, as well as committing to ongoing annual funding. “This is a significant investment to provide quality care to patients with life-limiting conditions and important supports to their families,” said MLA for Saskatoon-Westview David Buckingham, on behalf of Health Minister Jim Reiter. “I would like to extend our thanks to St. Paul’s Hospital and Foundation and all those involved in making this project a reality.”
“We are so pleased to celebrate this significant milestone with St. Pauls’ Hospital, St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation and Ministry of Health, and most importantly, our community’s patients’ and families. Today brings us closer to seeing enhanced end-of-life care within our province,” says Sharon Garratt, Vice-President Integrated Urban Health with the Saskatchewan Health Authority. “The Hospice at Glengarda will support care teams in providing safe, seamless care for patients and their families during some of the most difficult days in their care journey. We look forward to continued collaboration with this important facility and thank all our partners for their tremendous work.”
Patient advisor Delores Wolfe closed the event by expressing her gratitude to all those who have supported building the hospice: “There are many people like me who will not be able to die at home, or would wish not to do so. And we yet would like to die in a home-like setting, rather than an institutional one. The Hospice at Glengarda is a most welcome answer to our desire.”
To date, St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation’s Close to Home Campaign for Hospice and End-of-Life Care has raised $15,250,000 of their $20M goal.
In addition to providing funding for the Hospice at Glengarda, the Close to Home campaign will advance end-of-life care by creating endowments to support holistic care services (such as spiritual care, bereavement care and art therapy), supporting renovations to the Palliative Care Unit at St. Paul’s Hospital and enhancing education and training for the end-of-life care community.
Leslie and Irene Dubé donate $2M to the Close to Home Campaign for Hospice and End-of-Life Care. (l-r) David Buckingham, MLA for Saskatoon-Westview; Neil Weber, St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation Board Chair; Bruce Acton, St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation CEO; Leslie and Irene Dubé; Karen Barber, St. Paul’s Hospital Executive Director; Bishop Mark Hagemoen; Patient advisor Delores Wolfe.