Donations for the Rose Garden Hospice are trickling in, allowing people to start picturing the building in the empty field over a decade after the idea was proposed.
On Wednesday morning, yet another good samaritan brought the vision of the Rose Garden Hospice Association closer to reality.
Dr. Ayaz Ramji, Helen Ramji and their family donated $20,000.
Ayaz is a pediatric doctor in Prince Albert. He said although some children are in need of palliative care, their donation doesn’t necessarily have to do with his occupation.
“It’s just the right thing to do in our community,” he said.
The Rose Garden Hospice Association developed in 2008, working hard to design what they wanted the hospice to look like, developing a budget and voicing the need for a home-like place for people with terminal illnesses.
“Everything good takes time,” emphasized Ayaz. “It’s such an important part I think of the community to be able to look after people in their final hours and days in a place that’s peaceful and comfortable and dedicated.”
Helen added people in those final moments of their lives aren’t passing how they should: “They don’t keep their dignity at the end and somewhere like this would give them a dignity.”
The pair joined The Rose Garden Hospice Association’s Marina Mitchell and Ralph Boychuk and Canadian Tire Owner Malcom Jenkins at the hospice’s future home on the corner of Marquis Road and 4th Avenue West.
Ayaz said he hopes their donation will inspire others to contribute as well.
“It’s a wonderful, great cause and a big need in our city that we’ve known about for a long time, so we’re ecstatic to finally see it take shape.”
Just a couple weeks prior, Dr. Randy Friesen also announced his donation to the Rose Garden Hospice.
Several community events have also donated their proceeds, including the recent annual Summit Run.
