An obvious need: Only three palliative care beds were available to a population of over 135,000 people in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges area in 2003.

 

A growing concern: It was obvious to physicians Dr. Chantal Anctil and Dr. Sylvie Dufresne as well as Suzanne Roberge, a nurse, and Sylvie d'Aragon, a manager in the healthcare network, that the need for palliative care facilities was a growing concern. What the population needed was an oasis of serenity, where people could live out the final moments of their lives, accompanied by caring health professionals and surrounded by their families.

 

An incredible idea: The idea for a Palliative Care Residence to serve the region was then transformed into a concrete project that was widely promoted by Ms. Sylvie C. Crevier and Mr. Yves Patenaude in 2004.

 

These efforts resulted in the creation of the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Health Care Foundation in 2005.

 

The next step was deciding where to build the much-desired Palliative Care Residence. The location would have to be quite central, somewhere between the Suroît Regional Hospital in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield and the Lakeshore Hospital in Pointe-Claire. A quiet, more rural setting would be best, while ensuring it was not located in a flood zone. Although there were potential sites in Pincourt, Hudson, Coteau-du-Lac and Saint-Lazare, the tranquil village of Hudson was the ultimate choice.

 

The lot on which the Residence was erected was donated by the Parsons family, whose son passed away from cancer at the age of 43, after a rather difficult end of life. His family would have loved for him to be able to spend those final days in a palliative care residence.

 

The furniture, decorative accessories, materials and labour for the Residence’s living areas were generously donated by the region’s stores and businesses.

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The required $2.5 M was raised for construction and thanks to the financial contribution and volunteer efforts of the Vaudreuil-Soulanges population, entrepreneurs and professionals, the groundbreaking ceremony was finally held in November 2008 and the Residence was officially inaugurated on September 10, 2010.

 

The first patient was admitted the following week, on September 16.  

 

During its first year, the Residence was able to count on the help of 125 volunteers. Ten years later, that number has almost doubled.

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2013 was a year filled with defining moments.  

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During discussions on the topic of Dying with Dignity, Richard Mainville, the Residence’s Executive Director, shared his thoughts, emphasizing that hospice care neither intends to accelerate death nor extend life. Rather, the role of those who provide palliative care is to accompany people at the end-of-life phase.

 

A few months later, in June, senators Jacques Demers and Larry Smith took part in the Residence’s annual golf tournament, which generated $70,020.

 

In August of the same year, in honour of musical group KISS’s 40th anniversary, a tribute album was produced to raise funds for the Residence. This particular project was the initiative of Senneville resident and rock-music journalist Mitch Lafond. After his father-in-law passed away at the Residence earlier that year, Mitch wanted to express his gratitude for the exceptional care his father-in-law had received. Several well-known rock and heavy metal bands such as Tesla, Cinderella and Guns N'Roses recorded KISS songs for the tribute album.

 

This was also the year that the Residence officially changed its name from
the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Health Care Foundation to the currently used Vaudreuil-Soulanges Palliative Care Residence.