Canuck Place Children’s Hospice will begin receiving annual funding to provide pediatric, palliative medical care, and support to children and families in British Columbia, Finance Minister Michael de Jong announced last evening during the annual Gift of Love Gala and auction.

The sustained funding model will provide the hospice with additional funding of $5 million per year starting in 2018-19. In addition, immediate, one-time funding of $4 million is being provided. This funding is incremental to the current $1.7 million in annual funding from the Provincial Health Services Authority. Since 2001, the Province has provided more than $40 million in grants to Canuck Place Children’s Hospice. Along with additional fundraising efforts, the sustainable funding model offers the hospice consistency in service planning for children in British Columbia who face life-threatening illnesses and their families.

The Canuck Place Children’s Hospice provides comprehensive services for children with complex medical challenges and supports families throughout the province. This includes respite relief for caregivers, pain management, end-of-life care and grief and bereavement counselling. They also facilitate activities like summer camps, art programs and community outings, and work to include siblings and other family members to maintain a sense of normalcy.

The funding aligns with the Province’s commitment to support hospice and palliative care for children and adults in efforts to the double the number of beds by 2020 and to support end-of-life care. As part of this, in January 2017, the Province announced $7.125 million to create new hospice beds in communities around British Columbia, make improvements to current spaces, and support best practices in the palliative approach to care as well as advance care planning by working through the BC Centre for Palliative Care.

Quotes:

Minister of Finance Michael de Jong –

“Canuck Place Children’s Hospice provides comprehensive pediatric palliative care services and supports to B.C. children and their families and helps those dealing with end-of-life care maintain a sense of normalcy. Implementing a sustainable funding model will provide the hospice with the consistency needed to plan stable services and supports for families that are experiencing incredibly difficult and emotional times in their lives.”

Minister of Health Terry Lake –

“It’s never easy facing end-of-life care, much less when it is a child. Families with children needing pediatric palliative care look to Canuck Place Children’s Hospice for services and supports. This funding will provide Canuck Place the means to continue helping families and their children work through terminal illness.”

Quick Facts:

• Canuck Place Children’s Hospice operates out of locations in Vancouver and Abbotsford.
• In addition to inpatient services, the annual funding will contribute to hospital-based consultation service for end-of-life and pain and symptom management, and nursing education and supports.

Learn More:

Find out more about Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, what they do and how you can help: https://www.canuckplace.org