Anne Jarvis will always be grateful to Victoria Hospice for helping ease the pain of her mother’s passing. She has since channeled her gratitude into action: speaking up for vulnerable seniors, supporting hospice through her annual donation, and making Victoria Hospice the number one beneficiary in her Will”
“I feel like it’s my way of giving back in exchange for everything I received,” Anne says.
Anne’s story
Anne was worried that her mother, Bonnie, would spend her last days at home – alone, frightened and in pain. The stress of navigating the community health care network was too much to bare. She couldn’t imagine the difference Victoria Hospice would make.
“Once she arrived at Victoria Hospice, everything changed. Everything was taken care of. And we were both at ease” says Anne.
For both mother and daughter, it was important that Bonnie was never alone. The care team immediately went the extra mile to make that possible. “They moved in an extra bed for me to stay overnight next to Mum, so I could always hold her hand. She wasn’t alone once. They made it happen with compassion and care.”
Anne’s experience at Victoria Hospice left her with a new purpose. Today, she speaks up for vulnerable seniors who, like her mother, may one day need such quality of care.
“Since my mum’s time at hospice, any time a senior has come to me asking for help, I’ve done everything I can to support them.”
That advocacy is now part of Anne’s legacy, one she hopes will continue long after her lifetime, thanks to the charitable gift she has included in her Will.
The Comfort of Hospice Care
For families like Anne’s, the final chapter of a loved one’s life is often one of the most difficult. End-of-life hospice care makes it gentler, replacing fear and uncertainty with peace and comfort.
Hospice teams provide more than medical care, though easing pain, managing symptoms, and offering 24-hour support are central. They also meet the emotional needs of patients and families, giving them guidance, reassurance and the space to be present with the people they love.
How Hospices Are Funded
Like many hospices across Canada, Victoria Hospice relies on community support to deliver care. While basic medical services are covered by our public health system, much of what makes hospice so meaningful — counselling, family support, home visits, and extras like the second bed brought in for Anne — depend on donations. Gifts in Wills are especially vital for hospice care.
Michelle Atamanchuk, Senior Development Officer of Legacy and Planned Giving, explains:
“Gifts in Wills give Victoria Hospice the stability to plan for the future. They fund the programs, equipment, and care teams that keep patients comfortable and families supported. For example, our Bereavement Services are 100% funded by donations like Anne’s. Most importantly, they help make sure hospice care is accessible to every family who needs it.”
Paying it forward
For Anne, leaving a gift in her Will to Victoria Hospice feels like the most natural way to say thank you — and to make sure others have the same positive experience as she and her mother.
“Victoria Hospice is my number one beneficiary. They were there to help my mother when she needed it the most,” she says. “I like to think that Mum would approve. I can feel her hand in mine right now.”
Topic: Donor Stories
