PCSBV May 2021 Newsletter

PCSBV May 2021 Newsletter

National Hospice Palliative Care Week May 2 - 8, 2021

Let’s shine a light on the people and issues that matter most!

May 2nd to 8th, 2021 marks Hospice Palliative Care Week. It is time to celebrate and share the achievements of Hospice Palliative Care throughout the nation. This year, Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) and the Palliative Care Society of the Bow Valley (PCSBV) will be taking a moment to memorialize those who have passed, as well as appreciate those who have made this hard year a little brighter by shining a light on those who matter to us most. CHPCA has created two downloadable posters and a letter writing toolkit for all Canadians to join them in writing a letter to Members of Parliament in order to bring hospice palliative care issues to light.

social media op! #TheLightofMyLife

To continue the conversation online, social media users are invited to join together virtually on May 7th from 7–8 PM to shine a light on those who matter most.

Share your experience, your advocacy and your commitment to the national palliative care movement with CHPCA’s community over your social media channels with the hashtag #TheLightOfMyLife. FB: @palliativecarebowvalley | Twitter: @PCSBowValley | Insta: Palliative Care Bow Valley

PCSBV Upcoming Events !

Over the month of May, CHPCA is also hosting two special events: a webinar and a special screening of the movie, "Father" starring Anthony Hopkins.

New Staff Member Announcement

We are thrilled to announce that Bill Harder has joined our team as our Palliative and Grief Support Navigator. Bill joins us from the Hospice Society of Camrose and District where he was the Program Coordinator. “On behalf of the PCSBV Board of Directors and staff, we are extremely pleased to welcome Bill to our team at this exciting time of organizational growth and program development,” said Marjorie Morrison, CEO. “Bill brings to the society a wealth of knowledge, experience, and expertise that is grounded in his unique ability to connect with and support those experiencing grief and loss.” Bill officially joined the team on April 1st and he has spent the last few weeks reaching out to community partners, developing volunteer training programs and designing his approach for programs and services for residents of the Bow Valley. In fact, Bill has already begun delivering volunteer training sessions, including to 21 participants from the Canmore General Hospital on Grief Companioning as part 1 of a 2-part series. More sessions in the series are scheduled for the coming weeks into early summer. Bill brings deeply compassionate spirit, his beautiful way with words, his extensive knowledge of grief and loss, and his unrivalled passion for human connection to his vocation.

The Palliative Care Society of the Bow Valley “Hike for Hospice” is a critical fundraising event to support the Society’s programs for patients and families in the Bow Valley going through the palliative and end-of-life care journey. This event coincides with the National Hospice and Palliative Care Week.

Anyone can take part over the month of May by participating in any activity that gets folks moving.

This year, we are also proud of our partnership with TCF Pilates, Go Figure Fit, and Banff Yoga Practice who are all hosting special virtual activities and classes to help raise money for this year's "Hike" in the weeks ahead. To learn more about their special events visit their websites, or watch our social media channels. Details will be shared soon!

This year we have a variety of prizes for participants. Find an activity that you enjoy and join in with us wherever and whenever you can over the month of May!

Be one of our first 100 participants to register for the Hike and you will be entered into a draw for a wonderful prize from a local business. Take photos of your activity too, and share them with us and on social media to be eligible to win a prize, as well. We are looking for creative and fun photos of our "Happy Hikers" getting active.

Last year our virtual event raised more than $15,000 and this year we are aiming to break that record. Our goal for 2021 is $20,000.

GET MOVING AND HAVE FUN!

Resource Recommendations

As Bill Harder joined the team, he also brought with him a wealth of knowledge about resources and readings. Here is one that may be interesting to our members and friends:

Die Wise – A Manifesto for Sanity and Soul, is Stephen Jenkinson’s book about grief, and dying, and the great love of life.

About the Author

Stephen Jenkinson, MTS, MSW, is an activist, teacher, author, and farmer. He has a master’s degree in theology from Harvard University and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Toronto. Formerly a program director at a major Canadian hospital and medical-school assistant professor, Stephen is now a sought-after workshop leader, speaker, and consultant to palliative care and hospice organizations. He is the founder of The Orphan Wisdom School in Canada and the subject of the documentary film Griefwalker.

To learn more, or to watch a short video trailer about the book, visit Orphan Wisdom.