My name is Dorothy.  I grew up in South Africa, leaving the country at the age of 19 for my adventure. I ended up in London, England.  During this time, I met an Aussie; we married and moved to Australia where we bought a dairy farm. We raised 4 children and eventually moved to Chilliwack where a new lifestyle began. I was able to have a carefree life, while our 3 girls and 1 son were at school.

My children were between the ages of 16 –24 years when my husband of 24 years died very suddenly of Leukemia; this left a big void in my life. I wish I knew about Hospice at the time of his death.  Now what do I do? I had heard of Hospice but had no idea what it involved. I did some research and decided this was for me. I knew I was going to be a perfect volunteer. Once the training was over, I started to visit patients in hospital, at first feeling a bit tentative, but I knew this was what I needed to do.

I have been a volunteer for Hospice since 1998.  During this time my role as a volunteer has varied a great deal, from heading a Vigil Team to visiting individuals in their homes, hospital and now at Cascade Hospice.  My role as a volunteer is to be able to support patients during their stay at Cascade and saying goodbye when they die: it is important for volunteers to “let go” because someone new will be arriving that needs our support.  I must be able make the patient feel comfortable when they arrive, and to support the family with that patient. Families need our assurance that their loved one is now in good hands (doctor and nurses) and it is time for them to spend quality time with their loved one.

I love volunteering at Cascade Hospice and always feel after my shift that I have done my best.  It is such an honour to be sitting quietly holding a person’s hand as they take their final breath.  I hope I can continue volunteering for many more years. Who knows, maybe I will be a patient at Cascade Hospice someday, expecting my volunteer to respect me and to be with me all the way on my next journey.