Almost a year ago, Patty and her brother Barry took part in the Hike for Pilgrims Hospice for the first time. Forming the team ‘Roxy’s Warriors’ with 15 or so other friends and family members, each one hiked with a photo of Roxy on the back of their t-shirts, honouring her strength, determination, and the fighting spirit she showed both in life and during her final illness.
Almost a year ago, Patty and her brother Barry took part in the Hike for Pilgrims Hospice for the first time. Forming the team ‘Roxy’s Warriors’ with 15 or so other friends and family members, each one hiked with a photo of Roxy on the back of their t-shirts, honouring her strength, determination, and the fighting spirit she showed both in life and during her final illness.
Roxy’s Warriors are returning this year, raising funds for “the most incredible place on earth”. Patty and Barry say they can’t imagine not doing the Hike, describing it as healing and so good for the soul. “There’s a special bond between hikers, knowing the rawness and vulnerability of what they’ve been through at the hospice.”
Patty and Barry also look forward to seeing staff and volunteers who became like family and treated Roxy like a sister. “We’ll never forget Roxy’s ear-to-ear grin when she was helped to look like a million bucks and was helped to feel like a million bucks as well. The care was outstanding.”
Visiting Roxy at the Roozen Family Hospice Centre, Patty and Barry experienced what hospice can be and are so appreciative of the care team’s compassion, dedication and support. “They are setting a new standard of love and how we’d like our loved ones to be taken care of. There’s nothing else like it.” Leaving Roxy each day, they experienced a sense of calm. “It’s hard to put into words the feeling of knowing she was 100% cared for, and the extent of the care when we weren’t there,” Patty told us.
“Hospice and good times don’t usually go in the same sentence but that’s what happens here. We created positive, happy memories together.” Every Wednesday, for example, Roxy enjoyed a potluck lunch with family and friends, often inviting other residents as well. Having her dogs Misty and Lizzie come as visitors was also comforting for Roxy. “We support the Hike for Pilgrims Hospice to the fullest”, say Patty and Barry, “so that other families can have this support that is second to none.”
Join us for the Hike on Saturday, April 29 and help Pilgrims raise $150,000 towards compassionate end-of-life care and grief support programs.
