In the midst of grief, moments of joy matter. In September, Children’s Grief Centre families and friends gathered in our Dibb Family Garden for our annual Fall Picnic. It was a beautiful evening filled with sunshine, laughter, and plenty of fun!
On a fall day in September, we met in a community centre near our beloved Rosedale Hospice to celebrate something very special: 30 years.
30 years of compassionate care.
30 years of creating lasting memories.
30 years of giving dignity to the end-of-life.
Grief can be isolating, especially for kids.
That’s why earlier this year, we launched the Common Ground Mentorship Program. This new Children’s Grief Centre initiative offers steady, non-judgmental, non-clinical, one-to-one support for youth grieving the death of someone important in their lives.
Our Companion Program – launched in Spring 2022 and run by our Osten-Victor Living with Advanced Illness Centre – continues to grow and thrive! The program thoughtfully matches trained volunteers with people who are living with an advanced illness to enhance the quality of life for the client and their support system. As the name suggests, companionship is the heart of this work.
When a call went out for a volunteer massage therapist at Rosedale Hospice, Mellisha, owner of Omega Massage & Wellness, felt an immediate and unmistakable “yes!” in her body. Her intuitive response has since grown into a deeply meaningful offering of comfort, presence, and compassionate touch for patients at Rosedale.
A new discussion group at the Osten Victor Living with Advanced Illness Centre is creating space for honest, heartfelt conversations about living with dignity through advanced illness. Inspired by a client’s vision to revive the Living with Cancer program, and shaped by shared experience, the program offers weekly connection and support for those facing any advanced illness. Early gatherings have already sparked meaningful moments of understanding, laughter, and a sense of community.