As we approach the holiday season, our hearts are filled with warmth and nostalgia. We reflect on time cherished with loved ones and hold dear the memories of those who have touched our lives in profound ways. Doreen Holman was one of those people. In her eight and a half months as a Hospice resident, we were grateful to be welcomed into her wonderful world.

Doreen’s life was full of special moments, with memories of travelling, nursing, teaching, friendships, and being a mother and grandmother. She moved from Prince Edward Island to London, ON, in 1976 along with her two daughters, Janice Holman and Tabitha Caldwell. The sisters reminisce fondly about Doreen and the times they shared. Their mother built a life for their family and shared the experience with many friends she made along the way. 

Doreen enjoyed all aspects of life. She was very active, sometimes running and walking over 50 km a day! Passionate about her community, she was a part of the London Horticultural Society. From travelling the world to enjoying life at home, she made many memories. Her daughters will always remember their live lobster dinner Christmas tradition. Doreen knew how to make a moment special.

Two years before coming to Hospice, Doreen was diagnosed with cancer. She battled the illness at home until her pain became too difficult to manage. Her daughters shared how independent their mother was, and like many palliative patients, Doreen was hesitant to accept Hospice care at first. However, when she arrived in September of 2022, she and her family felt an immediate level of comfort. “Hospice was welcoming, serene, friendly, and felt like home. The feeling of relief for us was indescribable,” Janice and Tabitha shared.

Making the transition did not mean losing everything she loved. Tabitha and Janice remember how excited Doreen was for her “spa days” at Hospice, in which she used her special bath oils and lotions. She particularly enjoyed getting her haircut and made friends with the volunteers. Through bird-watching on the patio, playing cards, bonding with the nurses, and watching HGTV and Y&R, Doreen felt right at home. One day, Janice asked her mother how she had the strength to keep going…

Janice and Tabitha expressed how the staff, PSWs, and volunteers at Hospice became their extended family, “We celebrated holidays, birthdays, and special occasions together while mom was there. The care she received was above and beyond anything we could have ever wished for. She was treated with respect, love, and dignity throughout her entire journey.”

The Thursday before Doreen passed was a day filled with love and family time. Her daughters and a dear friend spent the whole day with her and will forever cherish their final memories of Doreen. They remember this special day by saying, “we’ll always have Thursday.”

Doreen died the following week in the early morning of June 13, 2023. The family felt at peace knowing she was comforted by the care staff in her final moments. “It was a very sad day when my mom took the next step in her journey home, but we will be forever grateful that she was with the kind and loving staff at Hospice when this took place,” Janice and Tabitha shared.

After Doreen’s passing, her family and friends spread her ashes in PEI. They returned to London and gifted Hospice with Doreen’s words marked on a seashell. The daughters expressed their gratitude; “Thank you just doesn’t seem enough, there are no words that can ever sum up what St. Joseph’s Hospice means to us.”