Organizers of an event in High River this weekend want to highlight palliative care and hospice services in the Foothills as an alternative to physician-assisted suicide.
The Catholic Women’s League at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in High River is sponsoring the event they have titled Let’s Talk, Palliative and Hospice Care – The Other Option. The free event will run May 13 at the church from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to coincide with National Hospice and Palliative Care Week from May 7 to 13.
Event organizer Luella Wojcik said it was planned to provide perspective on alternatives to doctor-assisted suicide, as well as to highlight palliative and hospice care options in the Foothills.
“There’s a lot of information right now around medical assistance in dying, we wanted to let people know that palliative care – especially in our area – is a very real, valid option,” said Wojcik.
She said it was planned in response to a workshop held in High River in the fall on doctor-assisted suicide to provide information about alternatives in hospice and palliative care.
“Some of our ladies went to that one and said we need to present the other side of the story,” said Wojcik.
The event will include several speakers and presentations. Dr. Eric Wasylenko will speak to about palliative care options in the region. Foothills Country Hospice executive director Dawn Elliott will lead a presentation about the facility.
“Fortunately we’re one of the few communities in Canada and Alberta that has the wealth of resources that we have with the palliative-care team based out of the Okotoks Health and Wellness Centre – a physician and two nurse practitioners – as well as the Foothills Country Hospice,” said Wojcik.
Wojcik said she has asked the former chaplain at High River Hospital to discuss values around dying and death and a woman who was a caregiver for her husband while he was in palliative care will share her story.
