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St. Joseph’s Villa celebrates the opening of Margaret’s Place Hospice with lead donors and dignitaries
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DUNDAS, ONTARIO – On Wednesday, August 25, St. Joseph’s Villa & Foundation welcomed lead donors and dignitaries to Margaret’s Place Hospice to celebrate its opening and community support with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
This event marks the completion of a four-year project and a new era for St. Joseph’s Villa’s Campus of Care. Through the generous support of its community, St. Joseph’s Villa has expanded its scope to include hospice and end-of-life care, serving a crucial need in the West Hamilton region.
“Today was a day to celebrate our community,” said Don Davidson, President & CEO, St. Joseph’s Villa Foundation. “Margaret’s Place Hospice is a product of a strong, caring community. Everyone here today, and so many others, has made hospice care possible on our campus. The hospice will go on to impact so many families in the area, and will forever be our community’s legacy.”
It all started in 2016 when the vision of hospice care was brought forward to the Foundation. St. Joseph’s Health System expressed interest in building a hospice, and the St. Joseph’s Villa campus seemed like the perfect location. Though a daunting initiative, the Foundation took on the challenge with faith that the vision would touch the hearts of our community. The acceptance of the project led to the launch of the “Gift of Love Campaign” in 2018. The Foundation surpassed the campaign’s goal of raising $13-million in just three years to support the capital build.
“When I think back to the ‘Gift of Love Campaign,’ I’m reminded of the tall task that stood in front of us all,” said Davidson. “$13-million is no easy feat, especially for a small foundation like ours. But it became clear to me through the early days of the campaign that if there were any community to make this happen, it would be the community of Dundas and surrounding areas.”
Now, three years later, the Foundation welcomes back the individuals and groups who have helped it reach its ambitious goal.
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Ribbon-cutting event
Among the invitees were community philanthropists and lead donors of hospice care at St. Joseph’s Villa, Margaret and Charles Juravinski. The Foundation recognized their generous support by naming the hospice in their honour. Although Charles was unable to attend the event, Margaret cut the ribbon and spoke on their behalf.
“It was important to us that we support an initiative so close to home,” said Margaret. “There is a desperate need for more spaces to care for the end of life, and I’m so grateful that Charles and I are able to help make that possible.”
“It’s a wonderful feeling to be able to support initiatives like these in our community,” said Charles. “The hospice is named after my wife, Margaret, but it’s a place for all Margarets and anyone else who needs it.”
His Excellency Bishop Douglas Crosby was in attendance at the ribbon-cutting event and spoke to the importance of giving to hospice care. We felt it was important to support initiatives that allow individuals to enter the next life with utmost peace and dignity,” said Bishop Crosby. “To have such a grand vision of this in our hometown, there was no question we [Roman Catholic Diocese of Hamilton] would get behind it.”
Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Christine Elliott, also attended the opening. “As part of our plan to end hallway health care, our government is building capacity to create an integrated health care system centred around the needs of patients, families and caregivers,” said Minister Elliott. “Margaret’s Place Hospice will ensure that patients and their families have access to the comfort, care and compassion they deserve, closer to home.”
Donna Skelly, MPP for Flamborough-Glanbrook, who has been an advocate of bringing hospice care to the West Hamilton region reflected on the magnitude of this project and its impact in the years to come. “St. Joseph’s Villa and Foundation took what began as a vision for hospice care in our community and turned into a reality,” said Skelly. “Because of their efforts, Margaret’s Place Hospice will deliver compassionate palliative care to those facing life-limiting illness.”
Following the ribbon-cutting and Bishop’s blessing, guests were invited to tour Margaret’s Place Hospice and see what their generosity has built for our community. The community will have their chance to see the hospice at the open houses in the upcoming days.
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Community open houses
Margaret’s Place Hospice will be open for community tours from Saturday, August 28 to Wednesday, September 1, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. St. Joseph’s Villa Foundation welcomes anyone interested in seeing the hospice to attend. No reservations are required, and all current public health guidelines and safety measures will be in place.
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About Margaret’s Place Hospice
Nestled on the Spring Creek Ravine, Margaret’s Place Hospice is a 10-bed hospice accepting residents of all ages facing life-limiting illnesses. The tranquil setting of the hospice is reflected throughout its interior, including features like Douglas-fir columns, natural stone, floor-to-ceiling windows and state-of-the-art amenities to provide a serene experience for residents and their loved ones. Admissions are currently scheduled to start September 7, 2021.
To help provide more patients and their families with the compassionate care they need at this stage in their lives, the St. Joseph’s Villa Foundation will look to our community for ongoing support.
Learn more at https://sjvfoundation.ca/hospice/