Your support will help create more moments of love and celebration for patients, just like those shared by Shirley and her family.
Do you ever struggle to find the words for how you feel?
I do.
Especially when it comes to trying to tell you just how grateful I am that my dear wife, Shirley Joan Bagnell, spent her last weeks at Hospice Halifax.
In these pages, I hope to find the right words to share with you — words that will touch your heart as much as the care we received. Maybe I’ll even find the words to compel you to give a donation — that’ll be matched — to keep this kind of care going.
So let me try to find the words to show you how our family was treated as people that Hospice Halifax truly cared about…
… It all started years ago when Shirley was diagnosed with Cancer. When the treatment stopped, we knew that the time we had together was short. It was then that I came to learn about Hospice Halifax.
Unlike you, before this moment, I knew very little about Hospice care and even less about Hospice Halifax, a place where anyone can access free and compassionate care at end of life.
But after a few days, I knew we were in the right spot.
Every day, I made my way across the bridge to see my dear Shirley (I was encouraged to spend the night, but Shirley liked her space). I began to understand that this wasn’t just a caring home for patients like Shirley — it was care for the whole family.
As we settled into this new home and routine, Shirley’s 89th birthday was just around the corner. So, we asked the staff at Hospice Halifax:
“Would it be okay to celebrate Shirley’s birthday in a few days?”
Despite it being so close to her final days, we really did celebrate her birthday. The Hospice Halifax team understood that it was a complicated day — we wanted to celebrate, but we also knew it was her last birthday. We had to make it one to remember.
Hospice Halifax found a card they snuck around for days before her birthday to ensure all her favourite nurses could sign it. Our family all came out to spend time together. We thought this would be one of the last moments to honour and celebrate her — little did we know Hospice Halifax would honour her in the most beautiful way with an Honour Guard…
After Shirley’s birthday, her illness progressed quickly. Less than ten days later, she was gone. That last night, one of my sons had decided to stay the night in the Hospice Halifax guest suite. The team did everything they could to make him feel comfortable and wanted. He never felt like he was in the way.
It was then that we learned about the Hospice Halifax Honour Guard.
You might know, but if you’re like me and have no idea what this is, let me try and find the words to paint the picture for you.
On Shirley’s last trip down the Hospice Halifax hallway, the staff lined the halls — candles in hand to send her on her way. They offered support to her family and took a moment to celebrate her — my Shirley.
These were the moments that were so unexpected to me. They were so personal, profoundly caring, and genuine.
So, please, can you find it in your heart to make a gift today to Hospice Halifax to ensure that others feel and experience this incredible end-of-life care?
This experience showed me how important Hospice Halifax is for our community —for my family. The level of care and concern for patients and the family as a unit amazed me. Experiencing Hospice Halifax has opened my eyes and transformed my perspective of what end-of-life can look like. I’m so glad my wife, Shirley, had this safe and comforting space at Hospice Halifax.
I hope you can sense just a small portion of my gratitude and love to those — including you — who continue to make Hospice Halifax available to families like mine. My words will never be enough to fully express everything we experienced.
You’ve left me speechless,
Glen M. Bagnell
Your support will help create more moments of love and celebration for patients, just like those shared by Shirley and her family.
