FCHS is growing!

On June 13, 2023, FCHS hosted a ceremony celebrating the launch of the Compassion in Action Campaign with a groundbreaking ceremony for the 12,000-square-foot expansion of our hospice.

Sixty-five people gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking, which marks a significant milestone in FCHS’ ability to provide leading end-of-life and bereavement care to the Foothills and Calgary communities.

The expansion of the hospice will see eight new rooms added to the facility, doubling capacity to 16 total beds, which will serve 200+ residents annually. In addition to the physical expansion, the $15 million dollar Compassion in Action campaign will grow current grief support programs beyond the hospice walls through the creation of a regional programming hub and set the stage for FCHS' long-term sustainability through an endowment fund.

More information and how to support the campaign is available online here.

The essence of hospice

Foothills Country Hospice is a special and sacred place. A place that prizes connection and relationship.

Foothills Country Hospice creates space for residents and their families to be together and experience moments of peace, love, joy, and community. Our staff and volunteers work hard to fulfill the words of the founder of the hospice movement, Dame Cicely Saunders. “We will do all we can to help you to not only die peacefully but to live until you die.”

The essence of hospice helps people live. Whatever we build must serve that. Expansion marks a significant change for FCHS. Some have expressed concern that we risk losing the sense of generous hospitality, personalized care, and hominess that defines FCHS. But the essence of hospice isn’t defined by a building, it's defined by people. We carry the essence of hospice in us.

An expanded hospice doesn’t mean we lose the essence of the place. An expanded hospice is an invitation to help more people live well right up to the very end of their life. The essence of hospice is strong, relentless, and generous. And it’s inviting us to join in the new work it has for us.

What will we do with that invitation?

~By Shaun Dyer, Executive Director

Support following a loss

Foothills Country Hospice Society Bereavement Boxes support individuals following the loss of a loved one by providing grief resources and coping strategies. These boxes can offer a tangible way for someone to have access to resources that they can use in their own time.

Each month our amazing youth volunteers Adelaide, Zoe, and Grace (not pictured) assemble and fill our Bereavement Boxes for our community members. These youth are a great example of how you can get involved in end-of-life compassionate care at any age.

If you’re interested in learning more or need to access support, please visit our “Programs & Support” page on our website or click here. For any additional questions, please contact us at grief@countryhopsice.org.