Crossroads Hospice Society has long had the vision of building a free-standing hospice for those completing their lives and the families that are sharing the last days with them.

We envision providing physical, emotional, spiritual care and support. Most of all, we share a common hope - that when death comes to a loved one, it will be peaceful and free of pain. We hope to be surrounded by those we love, feeling safe, comfortable, and cared for. Through a care giving team of family, friends, healthcare professionals and volunteers, needs and choices are sensitively met. This is our vision of a free-standing hospice.

Our vision is now becoming a reality with the construction of the Crossroads Hospice at Inlet Centre in Port Moody, BC.

With each passing day our free-standing hospice rises higher and higher on its foundations. Each stud, each rafter, brick, and shingle is a source of pride. They represent the physical manifestation of a dream we have held for more than a decade. When Dr. Joe McInnis identified the need for hospice care in 1988 few could have imagined the structure that is now rising on the corner of Ungless Way and Noon's Creek in Port Moody. It is easy to be awed by this construction. It represents the wisdom, love, and care of hundreds of individuals over many years. Come September 2003 we will be walking its halls to complete the finishing touches to welcome our first families.

What is even more amazing is the willingness of the community to embrace Crossroads and support end-of-life care. In a death defying society as ours it is wonderful to see the transformation that has occurred as more and more citizens come to appreciate the value of good end-of-life care. This community has come to understand that palliative care is more than attending to the medical needs of the dying. Just as important are the emotional and spiritual needs of the dying and their relatives as they prepare for their transition.

While it is appropriate to celebrate the construction of our first free-standing hospice in this community, it is also important to remember that the hospice care provided by Crossroads is more than what will take place between the walls of Inlet Centre. The 10 hospice beds are only one component of a three part palliative care plan in this region. The other two components are "hospital" and "home". Good palliative care requires all three components. So while we are duly impressed with our newly constructed hospice building, our goal is to enhance the quality of home care to allow more and more individuals to die in the comfort of their own homes surrounded by the familiar faces of their friends and family. Come September Crossroads Hospice Society will add another valuable resource to our range of services. But it will have to take its place along side those services that have won the hearts of the community - our healing circles, the tea service, life stories through scrap booking, therapeutic touch, healing touch, music therapy, and grief support.