Whitby breaks gound on new hospice

A new hospice is a step closer to caring for residents after breaking ground in Whitby today.

“Today marks a significant milestone for Whitby with the announcement that construction is set to start on a project close to my heart and vital for our community—a much-needed hospice,” wrote Mayor Elizabeth Roy on the occasion.

Hospice care is reserved for terminally ill patients to provide comfort at the end of life.

The project has been underway for nearly a year and a half. The official name Roger Anderson House, after long-time Regional Chair Roger Anderson, was announced back in March 2023. Anderson was first elected to Ajax council in 1985. He later served as the Region’s first chair from 1997 until his death from stomach cancer in 2018.

“I am very pleased that the Whitby Hospice will be named in honour of Roger Anderson, who was an unwavering advocate for Durham Region. I was fortunate to work with Roger for many years and see the impact he had on this community,” Roy said at the time, “Roger was a big supporter of bringing a hospice to Whitby and I think it’s very fitting that it will bear his name.”

While Lakeridge Health offers palliative care and VON provides homecare, Durham Region requires at least 37 hospice beds to accommodate its growing population, according to town data.

As it stands, there is only one home in the region: the 10-bed Oak Ridges Hospice in Port Perry. Anderson House will provide another 10 beds and a related project in Bowmanville will add 10 more.

The Bowmanville project, Marigold, was spearheaded by a group of volunteers from town. It’s set to open its doors sometime next year, soon followed by Anderson House.

“As someone who worked in healthcare for more than 30 years, I believe deeply in the importance of end-of-life care,” Roy said, “I have been involved with the Hospice Whitby project for many years and I am profoundly grateful to the many residents, businesses, corporations, and community organizations that have stepped up to support the capital campaign.”

Roy is referring to Comfort, Care, Compassion, a $15-million capital campaign to support the construction of two new hospice residences in their communities. Donations can be made online for the respective projects.

“I also want to acknowledge the Hospice Whitby board of directors, VON Durham Region Community Corporation as the owner and builder of the hospice, the Town of Whitby, which donated the land for the hospice, and the group of 16 developers that donated $2 million towards the capital campaign,” Roy concluded, “Hospice Whitby represents the power of community and our collective desire to ensure everyone has access to compassionate end-of-life care.”