On May 4, the Olds and District Hospice Society will be holding its annual Hike for Hospice for awareness of hospice palliative care.The event starts at the Olds Sports Complex with registration starting at 8:45 a.m. and the hike starting at 10 a.m.Participants will hike in Olds for either one kilometre or five kilometres.They will also be collecting pledges – $25 minimum per individual and $50 for a family – in support of hospice palliative care.Last year, Hike for Hospice raised $23,000 with 150 participants.According to the Olds and District Hospice Society, the organization offers physical, psychological, social, spiritual and practical help for people with terminal illnesses.“I think the biggest way to encompass that is we respect the person as a whole and each person has different needs, especially facing end of life,” said Kathy Kemmere, vice-president of the society. “The needs are more than just physical. We try to embrace not only the client that we're supporting but also the family and the friends in all of those capacities.”Kemmere said that according to Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association statistics, only 15 per cent of the Canadian population has access to that care.“In our larger centres, we have very eloquent palliative care teams that are accessible to patients and support them,” she said. “And as we get into the rural, smaller communities, they don't exactly have that access to the same support.”It is work that Kemmere finds rewarding, as an advocate for patients and their loved ones.“It's actually been very much an honour to be with families in those situations in that they do feel supported,” she said. “They do feel appreciated. Even though this is (an) end-of-life situation … people really appreciate that someone is willing to be there with them.”Registration forms for the hike are available at Shoppers Drug Mart, Bean Brokers and on the society's website at www.oldshospice.com.For more information call [email protected]
