Such wonderful childhood memories of me with my brother, Peter. Here we are at Rattlesnake Point. 7-year-old me looking up adoringly at my 18-year-old big brother. He fought like crazy when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. It was a very dark period in our lives, watching him suffer as he was losing his battle. It was frightening for us as we all took shifts caring for him at home – we didn’t know what we were doing, to be honest. Hospice was the silver lining in this dark abyss. They supported my brother and the rest of us as well. They allowed us to stop and be present in the moment with him. It also gave us one of our most poignant memories – a music therapist came in to play Elton John songs on her guitar. For that half hour, all of his pain disappeared. His body relaxed as he soaked in his favourite music and a sense of calm washed over him. Shortly thereafter, he peacefully slipped away with his family by his side. This is the type of compassionate customized care offered at hospice. Helping to make the end-of-life journey a little more manageable. – Sandy Hatzis
