As some of you may know, I am a Board member of The Dorothy Ley Hospice in southern Etobicoke and also a member of the Board's Quality and Risk Committee. I'm pleased to be participating in the Hike for Hospice this year to help raise funds for The Dorothy Ley Hospice. 

I have known several individuals who have benefited from both the hospice's 10-bed residential care facility and its community based programs for individuals and their familites dealing with a life-limiting illness or loss. 

Each year Dorothy Ley Hospice must raise funds to be able to continue providing programs and services in our community - this year's annual goal is over $1 Million. It is through the help of events like these (and supportive people like me) that they are able to raise awareness and funds. Until joining the Board, I had incorrectly assumed that hospice care and services would be fully covered by provincial government funding. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Having come to learn more about hospice care and the important role it plays in the continuum of health care delivery, I am committed to doing my part to ensure that our local hospice will continue to be there for our community. Please join me in raising funds for and awareness of The Dorothy Ley Hospice.

To learn more, our website at www.dlhospice.org.

THANK YOU for your consideration.