The Tree of Hope is a reminder that not all of our loved ones can be here this holiday season.
The Bonnyville Health Foundation’s annual fundraiser is underway, running throughout the month of December and first week of January.
The initiative, which gives residents the chance to buy a light on the tree that represents someone who’s passed away, began over two decades ago.
“The idea behind the Tree of Hope was to raise money for palliative care needs within the community and the hospital,” explained Ellen Buchanan, respiratory therapist on the Bonnyville Palliative Care Committee.
Residents can make a donation at the Bonnyville hospital in memory of loved ones who have passed on.
“I think often people are forgotten, and this is a nice way for people in the community to remind everybody of the people that used to be in our community,” Buchanan expressed.
Last Christmas, the initiative raised over $2,600.
Since its inception, funds have gone toward a number of projects at the Bonnyville hospital and for palliative patients living in their homes.
“Over the years, we’ve built two palliative rooms in the hospital and furnished them,” Buchanan recalled. “We’ve supplied the unit, as well as the health unit, with mattresses, IV polls, IV machines, sheep skin for comfort, books for the library, and education, especially in the community, on various topics.”
Since the program began over 20 years ago, there’s been a lot of support, Buchanan said.
“It’s always been well received. The community has always been generous in terms of donating towards the Tree of Hope.”
She continued, “Everybody has people in their family that are diagnosed with terminal illnesses, and it’s a way for us to give back to the community in terms of equipment and needs to palliative patients that are spending time in our hospital or the community.”
The Bonnyville hospital isn’t the only location where residents can take a moment to remember their loved ones. The Cold Lake Palliative Care Society has their own Tree of Hope set up at the Cold Lake Healthcare Centre.
“People can purchase a ribbon by donation and write on the ribbon in memory of whoever they’d like,” explained Sarah Anderson, promotions and advertisement officer with the Cold Lake Palliative Care Society. “Whether it’s someone that’s passed away in the last year, or 50 years, it doesn’t matter. It’s just a means to remember people around the holidays because it’s always hard.”
Although a lot of people see Christmas as a happy time of the year, Anderson noted it can be difficult for those dealing with a loss.
“There’s always people missing around the dinner table that we always thought would be there, and it’s a really good to have this outlet to remember them.”
The money collected from the fundraiser in Cold Lake is donated to the palliative care society. In the past, the funds have been used to purchase equipment for people in their homes, and to make them more comfortable at the hospital.
A new aspect this year is the Comfort Care Bag initiative.
“It goes to people and their families that are at home or in the hospital, and it’s full of items that keep both the patient and the family more comfortable,” Anderson explained.
For more information on either program, visit the Bonnyville or Cold Lake hospitals.
