Hospice patients get a tranquil oasis
The Shorncliffe Hospice garden project originated back in 2010, when former Sunshine Coast Hospice coordinator, Jean Rice envisioned a beautiful garden for the patients at hospice to see from their room, sit and enjoy with loved ones, and rest in an outdoor space of peace and tranquility.
Jean Rice recruited many hospice volunteers to pitch in, as well as a group of volunteers from the Canada World Youth (CWY) program. Together they toiled and dug out grass, spread dirt, and planted shrubs and trees, following the designs of local master gardeners, Odessa Bromley and Betty Macphee.
The team also built a soft-coloured, stamped concrete path which winds through the garden and is designed especially for patients in wheelchairs and walkers, thanks to funding from Sunshine Coast Foundation.
The shade structure which covered the patio also needed to be replaced. Thanks to Sunshine Coast Rotarian and hospice volunteer, Rosemary Jones, they were able to raise funds to repair the shade structure for the patients to enjoy.
Later in 2019, Patti Smyth, the Assistant Branch Manager for the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) Sunshine Coast saw a need for new patio furniture beneath the pergola, and she generously donated comfortable outdoor furniture for the patients to enjoy beneath the shade structure on behalf of RBC.
Hundreds of Shorncliffe Hospice patients and their families have enjoyed this tranquil and peaceful garden oasis, with bursts of colour, hanging baskets, trees and shrubs and bird feeders. This is all thanks to the volunteers’ hard work and the local businesses and nonprofits who helped make the dream come true.
This project was made possible through donations from Sunshine Coast foundation, Howe Sound Pulp & Paper Employees Charity Fund, the Rotary and the many community donors. We especially thank the Rotary Club of Sunshine Coast-Sechelt and Hospice volunteers for their ongoing maintenance of the gardens to this day.
