Maison Vale Hospice celebrates big year with gala

After an eventful year, that included a merger with Warmhearts Palliative Caregivers Sudbury/Manitoulin, Maison Vale Hospice hosted a gala and fundraiser at the United Steelworkers Hall Friday night.

The evening included two large cheque presentations – one from the McCulloch family, the owners of Cambrian Ford, for $10,000, and another for $50,000 from Vale.

Léo Therrien, executive director of Maison Vale Hospice, also took advantage of the evening to announce the hospice is finalizing plans to add 1.2 acres to its property, thanks to a collaboration with the St. Joseph's Health Centre next-door.

The extra space, said Therrien, will allow the hospice to expand its parking lot, which has been cramped since the hospice opened in 2008. The extra space could also allow for future expansions.

“We know we want to get bigger,” Therrien said.

The evening included a silent auction to raise more funds for the hospice, but as of press time the final amount from the auction was not yet known.

Northern Life publisher Abbas Homayed, the hospice's past chair, was recognized for his accomplishments in that role.

Dr. Andrew Knight, the palliative care lead at Health Sciences North, was also recognized for his early involvement with Maison Vale Hospice.