McNally House Hospice Receives $1 Million Dollar Donation from McKeil Family for Additional Palliative Care Services in West Niagara
Today, McNally House Hospice celebrated its 10th anniversary with founders, board members, donors, staff and volunteers. McNally Hospice also celebrated with long-time hospice supporters, Blair and Kathy McKeil, their donation of $1 million dollars to support a new Wellness Centre for palliative care.
McNally House Hospice provides much needed care in the final months of a person’s life, but with the McKeil donation today, we can provide services in the community for those who are not imminently dying. While those individuals are seeking active treatment, a palliative approach to care including psycho-social and spiritual supports, advance care planning, caregiver education and patient day wellness programs can be offered. The building of a Wellness Centre would provide a location for those supports; where a team of formal and informal healthcare providers and volunteers will walk alongside individuals and their family members from time of diagnosis of a life-limiting illness and throughout their journey.
"Today we celebrate 10 years of outstanding community support and leading palliative care, which McNally House has provided for many individuals and their families. Kathy and I are proud to announce our partnership and commitment to the McNally Hospice team in support of the new Wellness Centre. We applaud their efforts to redefine the way people think about palliative care”, says Blair McKeil, President & CEO, Breakwater Investments Inc.
Murray Bain, President of McNally House Board of Directors remarked “The board of McNally House Hospice is so thankful to the McKeils’ for their incredible generosity and commitment in making additional Palliative Care services available in our community. We have been seeking community input, researching what is happening in other locations and will look forward in the coming months to sharing a plan of what we can accomplish in Niagara West. Blair, Kathy, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
McNally House opened its doors in April 2008. This free-standing, six suite, home-like residence provides, free of charge, 24-hour specialized palliative care to people living with a terminal illness, as well as those in their life circle. The hospice is a non-profit organization serving the Niagara West communities of Grimsby, Lincoln and West Lincoln. McNally House is Ontario’s first rural teaching hospice. Along with the highly skilled professional staff, McNally over 160 volunteers who give of their time and talents each week to help the residents and their families deal with life’s greatest challenges.
