Canuck Place Children's Hospice
Where do I even
begin to describe the experience that Chloe & I had while enjoying
a respite stay at Canuck Place Children's Hospice. It "was established
in 1995 and is the first free-standing children's hospice in North
America."
It is beyond any words or expectations I may have had. I
will try as best as I can to provide you with even a glimpse of this
magical place that has been blessed with a bit of Heaven. My only wish
is that the Heaven I have envisioned for my darling sweet Chloe will
be all that Canuck Place is, in it's beauty, it's gentleness and it's
tranquility - and so much more. Oh, what a lovely Heaven it will
be.
We drove along a quiet side street off of the main 4-lane
city street. The lovely street was cloaked in a spectacular umbrella
of swaying oak trees, their grand scraggled branches waving us through.
We arrived at the wrought-iron gates and peeked through the trees
to the grandeur of the magnificent heritage home built in 1910. As
our chins dropped in awe, our only thought was- Wow!! We walked
up the path to the main entrance, the blooming pink and red poppies cheered
us along to the main pillared entrance with great big wooden doors framed
by so many brilliantly coloured stained-glass windows. The home
is filled with windows, I would assume to allow the tranquil beauty of
the garden and the warmth of the sun to shine through to warm the gorgeous
smiling faces inside.
Inside the amazing home each room is more spectacular than
the next but it is not the garden, the rooms or the structure that
makes Canuck Place what it is. It is the special people everywhere
you turn. I have never seen so many smiling faces in one place in all my
life. You couldn't help but smile to see such love and such happiness
around every pleasant corner. I am not exaggerating when I say that
Canuck Place is the most magical place of LOVE I have ever stepped into.
What a beautiful, one-of-a-kind home created lovingly for the most
special of all children. It is a place that sees no illness, no
disease, no death, ONLY the most beautiful little people with their beautiful
gentle souls and it is all about LIVING, LOVING and ENJOYING what it means
to be a child and to feel nothing but the warmth of LOVE to ease their
pain.
Oh, you have no idea how overwhelmed, how emotional and how
loved my sweet Chloe and I feel after having been cuddled in the warm
embrace of this heavenly place. And to think that I may have
never seen and felt such beauty...It was only because I have had such
a terrible time getting the medical support that my darling girl needs
so desperately that I was encouraged to connect with this hidden treasure
called Canuck Place. When I heard the word "respite care" I automatically
assumed that it meant I would have to leave my darling girl to be cared
for while I go out and about on my own. Those who know me, know all
to well that I can't bear to be away from my sweet darling girl for even
a moment. Chloe is my happiness and I love nothing more than to share all
that I am and all that I have with her as she gives me all that and more.
We are two peas in a pod if ever their were, side by side, she &
I. Oh how I love my darling girl, every moment shared with Chloe
is a treasure, a true blessing.
Oh how wrong I was about Canuck Place, "respite care" does
not even come close to the magic within. It is a place for families
to enjoy their beautiful children, it is a place where children get
to be children, it is a place where children and families feel safe
and comforted, it is a place so full of love. It is a place filled
with music, with laughter, with tears of joy and of sorrow. It is
so much that I feel I cannot possibly put to words all that it has meant
to me, my darling Chloe, my family and to all those who have been touched
by it's beauty. Although it is heartbreaking the reason for a place
such as this, I also feel blessed to have been lucky enough to have known
and felt such overwhelming kindness and love. The faces within
its walls are faces of such life, such hope, such incredible love and
selflessness.
I honestly don't know what else to say other than thank you
- Thank you with all of my heart for this beautiful haven called Canuck
Place. Thank you for the extraordinary nurses who cared for my
darling girl as if she were their own and who listened and shared with
such loving care, sitting with them for even a moment, I felt as if I was
sitting with my dearest friends, sharing all of our hopes & dreams. Thank
you to the physicians who truly saw my darling Chloe for the beautiful soul
she is and who really listened to my questions and concerns and who did everything
possible to make sure my darling was comfortable and free of pain. Thank
you to the brilliant coordinator who ensured that resources and contacts
were in place to help my darling girl & I once we were back at home. Thank
you to the chaplain who is the gentlest and kindest of souls and who eased
my heart of all my worries. Thank you to the kitchen staff who made
the most amazing meals and who kept my tummy more content than it has
been in awhile and those cookies mmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!. Thank you to
the housekeeping staff who were so lovely and cared so much about the
cleanliness of the space around my darling and who entered each room with
such warm smiles. Thank you to the garden & maintenance workers
who keep the loveliest and most heavenly garden & pathways. Thank
you to the wonderful teachers who welcomed us in and shared their resources
with Chloe & I. Thank you to the wonderful office staff and many
volunteers with their smiles and who helped me out anytime I needed them
and who always made me feel welcome. Thank you to the soft-spoken
music therapist who ever so softly sang a tune in rhythm to my sweet Chloe's
breath and relaxed her to sleep. Thank you to the dear sweet executive director
who went out of his way to share some loving & kind words about our
darling Chloe. Thank you to the inspirational and loving parents who shared
their heartwarming stories and children with Chloe & I. And I
couldn't ever forget the lovely gentle souls that are the heartbeat of the
home, the most beautiful, amazing miracles of life, the CHILDREN - Thank
you.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Because
of you, my sweet girl is as comfortable and as happy as she deserves
to be. Thank you for putting the smile back into Chloe's heart.
Oh I wish that I could return all that you have given to me.
For those of you who have never heard of Canuck Place, I
hope that since you have taken the time to share in Chloe's beautiful
life that you will take the time to experience the hidden treasures
of this world. There is magic hidden in the most unexpected places and
if you open your heart you just might catch a glimpse of Heaven.
Love to you all,
Lisa (mommy to the most beautiful angel, Chloe)
xxxoooxxx
If you can believe it,
this is Chloe's room at
Canuck Place, doesn't look
like a hospital room does it?
This was a semi-circular room
with stained-glass windows spanning
the entire room - just stunning. And the
panoramic view of the garden from the
3rd floor took your breath away?
Isn't our Hunny Bunny Bear just
the sweetest sleeping beauty you
ever saw?
We think so. 
To find out all about
Chloe & Mommy's "Girl's Get-a-way" Weekend Retreat...
(Click on Image to Continue...)
