Pilgrims Hospice Society was registered under the Societies Act in April 1994. Driven by a passionate vision and the belief that more support was needed for people with terminal illnesses and their loved ones, our founders, Dr. Helen Hays, Marion Boyd and Patricia Lynch Ordynec, started their work in the basement of Marion’s home.

In 1996, funded by donations, foundations, service clubs, and special events, two programs were established: adult grief support and an on-site Day Program.

In 2001, with funds from the Tegler Trust, the Allard Foundation and the Community Facility program, a building in Edmonton’s Crestwood neighbourhood was purchased. The move led to the expansion of our community programs to include grief programs for adults, teens and children, and a Home Hospice Visiting Program.

While Pilgrims Hospice Society’s expanding programs and services have been a pillar of compassion in greater Edmonton for three decades, our founders’ vision always included residential hospice care for those at the end of life who can no longer stay at home but do not need to be in a hospital or long-term care facility.

At our fundraising gala in 2018, local business leader Harold A. Roozen announced a $3 million commitment to Pilgrims Hospice Society — the cornerstone gift of our Home for Hospice capital campaign. In 2019, construction on the Roozen Family Hospice Centre began, and by the end of 2020, both construction and the Home for Hospice capital campaign were complete.

In 2024, we reached another milestone by becoming a contracted service provider for hospice care with Alberta Health Services. Besides enhancing access to hospice care in Edmonton, the contract affirms our approach to end-of-life care and the value we deliver to our residents and their families daily.