September 23, 2008 - Media Release

Brightening Someone’s Day

AMHERST (September 23, 2008) - There are people in the community who are thinking of others although they may never know them. Every second Tuesday of the month, a palliative care patient at the Cumberland Regional Health Care Center (CHRCC) receives a donated bouquet of flowers for no other reasons than “just because we wanted to”.

Each time, the Unit staff selects a patient within the palliative care program to deliver the flowers to. If there is a patient who is having a bad day or week, one who does not have many visitors, or one that does not have many flowers, the staff will deliver the flowers directly to their room to bring a smile to their face or to brighten their day.

For local florists Donna & Cathy White of Fort B Flowers & Gifts, it’s an act of kindness that they wanted to do. Donna and Cathy began their floral donations to the palliative care unit approximately 2 years ago as a way of doing something on a regular basis for palliative care. “We thought that it would be a nice gesture, because we know that if we had a family member in palliative care then we would appreciate someone doing that for us” said Cathy.

Palliative Care Consult Nurse Carol Embree also believes that something so small can cheer a patient up. “It has a positive impact on both the patients and the families,” she said, “I think it is a wonderful thing that other people in the community care so much.” She also noted that staff is also grateful for the floral donation as they witness how it can brighten a patient’s day. “It enables a patient to feel good because they know they are being thought about, and that there are other people out there who care,” said Embree.

The Cumberland Health Care Foundation is a registered Canadian not-for-profit charity dedicated to enhancing the provision of a high standard of health care within Cumberland County by raising funds and supporting new and improved services, programs, equipment and facilities.

For additional information, please visit our website at www.chcfoundation.com or contact: Joe Gauthier, Managing Director, CHCF, (902) 667-5400 ext. 6126