New palliative care resources come with Kamloops Hospice expansion

A garden to remember loved ones was planted today in front of the latest addition to Kamloops Hospice House, which was built in 2004 and named to honour the legacy of Marjorie Willoughby Snowden.

Her granddaughter, Andrea Barnett spoke to supporters today (April 26) at the ribbon cutting on behalf of the Willoughby Snowden family.

“She (Marjorie) would be so happy to see how hospice has continued to grow in Kamloops. To support and hold space for so many people and families in their most vulnerable days.”

Construction began on the 4,000 square foot expansion in September of 2018, and was spearheaded by a $1.4 million donation from the Cooper Family Foundation.

Todd Cooper says the family’s passion for the project really grew after seeing the care given to his father and grandparents at the centre.

“When we decided to create a foundation and think about where we would go first to help people who are doing this selflessly in this town, there was never any doubt where the first project was going to be.”

Cooper says the building process was emotional as some members lost loved ones in hospice care.

“It feels very, very good to walk through and realize what the community can do when someone puts an idea out to them and they buy into it and say, we can get behind this as well.”

Hospice Executive Director Wendy Marlow says the Wings Above Kamloops Hospice Expansion project touts new offices, boardrooms, and space to host workshops, which will begin in June.

“So it’s a community resource centre. Which means we’ll be doing workshops for people who are caring for their loved one at home,” she explains. “So how do I manage some of the symptoms, or why won’t they eat or drink, and what does it look like when someone is dying? Just short workshops.”

Exterior additions include an outdoor patio, garden, extra parking, and improved access for emergency responders.

Cooper Family Foundation President and CEO Nelly Dever says it took a lot of work from builders and their 74 partners, but the addition is now complete.

Ground was broken in early fall last year and finished in the spring — a relatively quick job for a construction site, given the delicate location.

“It’s not a 9 to 4 job, or an 8 to 4 or a 9 to 5 job. It’s different days, different shifts,” Dever says. “There was never a complaint. Everyone was very respectful that it was a hospice, but it was also in operation 24/7, so our crews were amazing.”

The Cooper Family Foundation’s philanthropy doesn’t end with the hospice expansion either, with an announcement on their next endeavor expected in the coming weeks.

by Dylana Milobar

New palliative care resources come with Kamloops Hospice expansion

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