Sudbury Hospice now accepting terminally ill youth
Besides Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie is the only other northern Ontario hospice that accepts pediatric patients
The Maison Vale Hospice in Sudbury is now permanently accepting patients between the ages of 12 and 18, who need end-of-life care.
The facility on Bethel Lake admitted its first pediatric patient -a young male- this past January, as part of a pilot project.
The only other hospice in northern Ontario accepting pediatric patients is in Sault Ste. Marie. There are just two hospices throughout all of Ontario which are specifically designed for pediatric palliative care and respite. Those are Emily's House in Toronto and Rogers House in Ottawa. Leo Therrien, executive director of the hospice in Sudbury, said northern Ontario needs more end-of-life care for these young patients.
"Just the same way as NEO Kids [pediatric health centre in Northeastern Ontario] wants to have a place for children to stay and have treatment in the North. We feel that children in the North should have a place for respite and end-of-life care at the same time," said Therrien.
Training to build trust
The hospice's director of care said staff spent three years preparing for their first pediatric palliative patient. Lyle Foreshew said staff had specialized training beforehand, including work placements at the pediatric hospices in Ottawa and Toronto.
What they learned from caring for their first pediatric patient was to have the child on their radar — before they come to the hospice, Foreshew said. This is to establish a relationship between the caregivers and the young patient's family.
"Being a parent, you're always looking after your own child. You want to make sure … you have a lot of faith and trust in [the person that's going to take over]." Building that trust helps staff connect with the patient, as well as their family, Foreshew said.
Expansion plans
Therrien said Maison Vale Hospice is planning an expansion in the near future.
The addition will be constructed on half-hectare of nearby land, provided by St Joseph's Health Centre, and will have 10 beds.
Two of those suites would be specifically for pediatric patients, while three would be for adult palliative patients. The remaining five beds would be used for patients with the day program or those getting day treatment.
Therrien said the architect has been hired for the project and more details will be released soon.
As for a dollar figure for the expansion project, Therrien said there were no specifics yet. However, he said a fundraising campaign will be launched this fall.
Maison Vale Hospice is holding one of its biggest fundraisers this coming weekend. The Hike for Hospice is set for Sunday, May 1 at the Grace Hartman Amphitheatre at Bell Park. Proceeds are meant for operational costs for the current hospice.
Maison Vale Hospice is a 10-bed facility on Bethel Lake in Sudbury, which provides palliative needs for patients needing end-of-life care.
