The stockings and spectacular lights have been hung with care at the Foothills Country Hospice to provide a cozy holiday for its patients and their families. However, the hospice has a wish-list of its own this Christmas. “We always have a running list of patient needs,” said Dawn Elliott, hospice executive director. “One of the things we are looking at is a foam-surface for a specialized bed.” Some of the items on the hospice’s wish-list will be purchased as a result of the generosity of Western Wheel readers. The Foothills Country Hospice is one of 10 non-profit charity organizations benefitting from the 2018 Western Wheel Cares campaign. The specialized bed is for patients in the late stages of cancer. While the hospice has the mattress and box spring, a foam would allow further comfort. “We just need something to make it a little bit more comfortable for them,” she said. Taking care of Foothills loved ones is costly. Each of the hospice’s eight beds cost approximately $15,000. The special foam is around $900. Proceeds from last year’s 2017 Wheel Cares campaign went towards eight wireless pillow switch call-bells to help patients more easily call for assistance. Casters were also replaced on the eight patient beds. The above equipment is all medical type stuff to meet the needs of hospice patients. All have a price tag, but you can’t put a price on the extras that are done during the holiday season and throughout the year to make the stay for patients and families as comfortable as possible. Drive by the hospice at night in December and it twinkles and shines like a smile from Frosty the Snowman. Christmas lights, which were donated by Todd and Kelly Reidlinger, have been strung at the hospice and the outside trees decorated. The lights were strategically strung to ensure each of the eight bedrooms has a spectacular view. It’s all about Happy Holidays. “For us it is about the living end of the journey,” Elliott said. “We have carollers come in, we have our own group here who sing Christmas carols, we have bakers come in who bake special things, we just keep it light. “We have hundreds of Christmas lights, it’s just magical.” As well, a special dinner is cooked every Christmas for the families and patients at the hospice every year. One year, a hospice staff member videoed a patient’s daughter’s school Christmas concert, due to the patient not being able to attend. “Our hospice is a cheery place — we celebrate every special occasion,” Elliott said. “We just had a couple that had a 50th anniversary. We celebrate birthdays. “There’s a guitar player (Al Fraser) who comes in on Tuesdays — there’s all kinds of things that are happening here.” And it’s always happening. The hospice has an 85 per cent occupancy rate during the year. The facility has been part of Wheel Cares throughout Elliott’s career at the hospice. “We are so grateful to be chosen as one of the recipients and to the community who have been so generous,” Elliott said. The hospice receives 56 per cent of its $3 million budget from Alberta Health Services. The Foothills Country Hospice Society must raise approximately $1.3 million. “Every little bit helps,” Elliott said. “It’s great to be with Wheel Cares – all of the organizations are worthy charities.” Other charities in this year’s Wheel Cares campaign are the Rowan House Emergency Shelter, Foothills SNAPS, Sheep River Health Trust, Magic of Christmas, Okotoks Food Bank, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary and Area, Habitat for Humanity Foothills, St. Vincent de Paul and Okotoks Pound Rescue. Donations to the Wheel Cares Campaign can be made via credit card, debit, cash or cheque (payable to Western Wheel Cares) at #9 McRae Street, mailed to Box 150 Okotoks, AB T1S 2A2 (please do not mail cash) or by calling 403-938-6397. Visit www.westernwheel.com to donate using Paypal. Donations of $10 or more will receive a 2018 official tax receipt at the end of the campaign. For more information call the Western Wheel office Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 403-938-6397
