New West resident Sheliza Dewji-Harris is joining other families to come together and walk in support of those experiencing end-of-life and bereavement at this weekend’s River Walk for Hospice.
The 2019 River Walk for Hospice is raising money to support the New West Hospice Society’s bereavement walking group and volunteer groups. Dewji-Harris, a participant of the bereavement walking group, feels the River Walk is a great way to commemorate loved ones who have passed, as well as raise funds for the New West Hospice Society.
"The weekly bereavement walking group, organized by the New West Hospice Society, has provided a safe, respectful, welcoming and open environment to share my thoughts and experiences with other like-minded individuals,” she said in a press release. “At a time when my support system was lacking and I felt as though I was burdening my friends with my inability to cope, this group taught me that I am not alone on my grief journey. It has been such a blessing to have these strong and amazing people in my life. They have been, and continue to be, a major source of strength and guidance as I undergo the healing process."
Everyone is invited to attend River Walk for Hospice on Saturday, Oct. 5 at the River Market, 810 Quayside Dr. Registration starts at 9:30 a.m., with the opening ceremonies and walk beginning at 10 a.m.
Walkers participating in memory of a loved one are invited to visit the memorial tent, which will be open between 9:30 a.m. and the end of the walk (except during the opening ceremony). Family, friends and co-workers can leave tributes and paint stones in memory of their loved ones inside the tent.
The annual River Walk for Hospice is the society’s signature fundraising event. All of the funds raised go towards supporting programs and awareness campaigns for those experiencing a life-limiting illness, their families, and those experiencing grief.
Register for the River Walk for Hospice at newwesthospice.ca.
Founded in 2016, the New West Hospice Society is dedicated to building a grassroots hospice initiative from the community level up, based on the Compassionate City model. Its purpose is to acknowledge and affirm that dying, death and grief are part of life across the life span.
