Helen Ross receives Dr. William Hutchinson Award

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Realizing a dream takes a lot of hard work and dedication.

In recognition of those qualities, Helen Ross was presented with the 2009 Dr. William Hutchinson Award at the Sault Area Hospital's 2008-2009 Annual General Meeting on June 25.

The award was created in honour of Dr. Hutchinson, an esteemed surgeon and founding member of the Algoma District Health Council. It recognizes distinguished contributions to health care in Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma.

Ross said she felt privileged to receive the award.

"You do all these things over your lifetime and you do them for many reasons, but you never think anyone is going to recognize you publicly."

Ross was the driving force behind the creation of the Algoma Residential Community Hospice, a 10-bed palliative care residence for people in their last three months of life.

She began her 40-year career in health care as a registered nurse in obstetrics, during which time she initiated and volunteered her time teaching Lamaze classes. This marked the beginning of her commitment to the community of Sault Ste. Marie and her desire to create new programs and fill health-care gaps.

"You have to have a passion about health care," Ross said. "That has been my passion...providing the best care for the people I know and love - neighbours, friends and family. It has worked out well for me."
Later, Ross worked for 19 years in administration at the Group Health Centre where she co-founded the Women's Health Patient Services and the Family Health Worker program which sparked her interest in palliative care.

Gap

"When the nurses visited the families in their homes, they could see there was a gap," Ross explained. "If you could stay at home, you did fine. If you needed to be hospitalized, there was palliative care in hospitals, but if you couldn't stay at home and didn't really need to go to the hospital, there was nothing there for you."

During this time, the visiting nurses realized the majority of the patients would prefer to stay home, but didn't have the support systems in place to do so. It was at that point Ross saw the need for a residential hospice in which to offer compassionate care.

At that time, the gap in palliative services was being discovered across Canada. The idea was not new, as St. Christopher's Hospice in London, England, had been functioning since 1967. Ross said they sent family health worker Shannon McLeod there to learn more about its operations. Now, she runs the day hospice program for palliative care patients who are still functioning in the community.

When Ross retired in 1999 from the Group Health Centre, she remained on the Algoma Residential Community Hospice board, which was in its infancy. In 2005, the provincial government offered operating funds for hospices in 30 communities if the communities could get a hospice built.

"We really pushed ahead in 2005," said Ross, who took up a voluntary post as project manager in an effort to get the project moving. A total of $3.4 million was raised through government grants and fundraising events.

"Helen came into it when we needed a real presence," said Judi McLeish, administrative assistant at the hospice. "She was responsible for the grant proposals, working with the board and moving ahead with the capital campaign."

Now that the hospice is operational with a highly trained staff and a roster of volunteers, Ross occupies the executive director's position, and will complete one more year before retiring again and resuming her role as a hospice volunteer.

Ross said it was a privilege to participate in making the hospice a reality.

"There were lots of challenges along the way, but once you've got that goal in mind and you see it happening, it is absolutely a miracle!"  n

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