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Like a friend to hold your hand during the unimaginable
Having a care team was like having a friend to help hold our hands through those hard days.
The moment you’re told your child’s illness is no longer curable, everything changes. The worry, the grief, the questions—it can feel impossibly heavy to carry alone. For families like the Gervaises, Canuck Place becomes a place of comfort, connection, and compassion when it’s needed most.
“Having a care team was like having a friend to help hold our hands through those hard days,” says Canuck Place mom Krista. Krista and Norm Gervais were first introduced to Canuck Place when their daughter Savanna’s cancer relapsed.
“When we were first told we would be connected to Canuck Place, my heart sunk. I thought it meant we were done,” Krista shares. “But once the doctors came to talk to us at BC Children’s Hospital, I felt much more relieved.”
Savanna spent many months in treatment without any issues, but in November of 2022, her cancer returned aggressively and took over her body. Savanna and her family were transferred to Canuck Place Vancouver for end-of-life care and spent a week being comforted, cherished, and loved by family and friends. “The team was so welcoming and accommodating” says Krista. “In particular, nurse Deanna became very important to us. She showed us so much compassion and love, and made sure I knew I did all I could for my little girl.”
During their stay at the hospice, the Gervais family participated in music therapy to help them process their reality and tend to their emotions, and they created cherished hand molds with the recreation therapy team. The recreation therapists even helped coordinate “Savanna’s Unicorn Birthday Party” that the family treated as her celebration of life. Friends and family gathered at Van Dusen Gardens to make sure Savanna knew how loved she was, complete with princesses, magicians, face painters, and even a mermaid!
Savanna passed away on November 19, 2022, in the loving arms of her family. But her firecracker spirit continues through her family. “Grieving the loss of Savanna has taught me to live with more purpose,” says Krista. “We keep going. And we live for Savanna now.”
For families like the Gervaises, their community of loving friends and families and the compassionate clinical team at Canuck Place was crucial to supporting their grief process. Whether that was through an ongoing stream of loved ones visiting them at the hospice, group therapy with the counselling team, or an “amazing hug” from a nurse like Deanna who meant so much.
In moments of profound loss, when the road ahead feels too hard to navigate, Canuck Place is there, providing compassionate care so families are never alone.
A love letter to the future
Legacy giving is a love letter to the future, helping children with life-limiting illnesses turn ordinary moments into infinite memories. Leave a gift in your Will and help give short lives the gift of great days.
Contact Jessica Lai at [email protected] or 604-724-0798.
Roofing Contractors of BC raise the roof, and more!
This summer, we are honoured to celebrate the Roofing Contractors Association of BC (RCABC) for their extraordinary generosity and compassionate commitment to children and families across our province. The remarkable $100,000 gift from RCABC reflects the organization’s values: protecting homes and the families inside them. By extension, children and families at Canuck Place will be cared for with this gift.
“We received a call for donations from Canuck Place and our Board decided to increase the level of donation because of the provincial reach of the important work that they do,” says RCABC CEO Bryan Wallner. “Our support is rooted in a deep understanding that pediatric palliative care is holistic, family‑centred, and essential. We were moved by the size and scope of services provided by Canuck Place across the province and the impact we could have to help them deliver these services.”
Gifts from community partners like RCABC help ensure that Canuck Place care is accessible for every family in BC and the Yukon, who needs it, at no cost.
To the entire RCABC community, thank you for choosing to support children and families, and for inspiring others to give with intention and heart.
Another sweet year of Milk & Cookies for Canuck Place!
We are grateful to BC Dairy for once again generously matching donations up to $30,000, and to all of our sweet partners who sold treats and held fundraisers to support Canuck Place care in their communities, like Latimer Elementary School.
“Each year, our Latimer Road community comes together for Milk & Cookies for Canuck Place because it reflects who we are and continue to strive to be, at our core: a caring, connected community that shows up for others,” says Brad Helland, Principal of Latimer Elementary School.
But there’s another reason the children participate so enthusiastically. “This cause is especially close to our hearts, as one of our own school families is supported by Canuck Place. It gives our students and staff a very real and personal understanding of the impact this organization has. We are all continually inspired by the tremendous leadership and dedication of our parent advisory council, whose efforts bring our community together in such a powerful way.”
For the students and staff at Latimer, Milk & Cookies for Canuck Place is more than just a fundraiser. It is an opportunity to teach empathy, build connection, and stand alongside families in the community with care and purpose.
Meet Dr. Jared Rubenstein, Canuck Place Medical Director
We’re excited to welcome Dr. Jared Rubenstein as Canuck Place Medical Director. His approach to pediatric palliative care is shaped by a lifelong understanding that medicine is as much about people as it is about procedures. Growing up with an ICU doctor for a father and a social worker for a mother, his family dinners often felt like small care‑team meetings. Jared recalls his mother and father often sharing stories about having hard conversations, supporting families, and being a steady presence. These moments stayed with Jared and eventually led him to palliative care, where he found these values at the centre.
Jared believes in personalized, person‑centred care rooted in what matters most to each family. He sees palliative care as inherently cultural and relational, shaped by the values, identities, and experiences families bring with them. His goal is for families to feel seen, heard, understood, and supported by their palliative care team.
Outside of work, Jared enjoys time in nature with his wife and two children and exploring foods from around the world. His favourite Canuck Place cookie? Chocolate chip “with the most chocolate possible.” Welcome to the Canuck Place team, Jared! We look forward to supporting families alongside your leadership, savouring life while enjoying precious moments (and cookies) together.
A surprise from families to mark Dr. Hal’s legacy
Dr. Hal Siden has been a big part of Canuck Place for over two decades, serving as Medical Director until last year, where he has worked alongside families, clinicians, and staff, helping shape how pediatric palliative care is understood and delivered within Canuck Place and beyond.
To recognize Dr. Hal’s legacy and this transition, Canuck Place team members planned a surprise. What began as a typical Q&A interview with Dr. Hal—cameras rolling—turned into Dr. Hal’s colleague interrupting the interview to present him with a book of gratitude from Canuck Place families.
Dr. Hal was so touched. He spent time turning each page, taking in all the photos, memories, familiar faces, and incredibly meaningful notes from families he has worked with over the years.
Dr. Hal also reflected on his 24 years as the Medical Director at Canuck Place: “The very first words that come to mind are privileged, very fortunate, and very grateful. People use the word unique and they just mean ‘it’s special’; but unique means one-of-a-kind. And Canuck Place is one-of-a-kind.”
Dr. Hal continues his work as Scientific Director of the Canuck Place Research Initiative, where clinicians and family partners work together to advance pediatric palliative care, with both clinical expertise and lived family experience.
BMO Vancouver Marathon raises funds for Canuck Place one step at a time
On May 3, thousands took part in the annual BMO Vancouver Marathon, many going the extra mile to support Canuck Place. Through their dedication and generosity, participants helped raise over $19,000 to ensure children with serious illnesses and their families receive compassionate, specialized care when they need it most.
Among those runners was Erica, whose story reflects the heart behind every step. Erica raised more than $3,500 for Canuck Place in honour of her cousin, Henry. Last year, Canuck Place supported Henry and his family following his diagnosis of a rare and aggressive brain tumour, providing expert pediatric palliative and end-of-life care. Henry passed away at just six years old, surrounded by love and comfort.
“As a NICU nurse in Kamloops, I was familiar with Canuck Place through my work, but experiencing their care on a personal level is entirely different,” says Erica. “The empathy, guidance, and unwavering support they provided brought comfort and dignity to Henry’s journey and to our entire family. We are deeply grateful.”
Erica’s run is a powerful reminder that every dollar raised directly supports families navigating the unimaginable. Together, our marathon community is helping ensure no family walks this journey alone.
Therapy Animal Day celebrations with Gaia
In honour of National Therapy Animal Day on April 30, we celebrated a beloved member of the Canuck Place team—Gaia, our gentle, four‑legged caregiver whose impact goes far beyond tail wags.
As a PADS‑accredited facilities dog, Gaia works alongside her handler, Camara van Breemen, Canuck Place Director of Community Care and Provincial Outreach and Nurse Practitioner Team Lead, providing care to children and families receiving pediatric palliative care on the Canuck Place program.
Whether she’s curled up beside a child in the hospice, visiting families at home, or offering a calming presence in the hospital, Gaia has a remarkable way of bringing comfort exactly when it’s needed most.
Gaia helps create moments of ease, connection, and comfort during incredibly challenging times, supporting not just patients, but their families too. It’s no wonder she’s been named employee of the month…every month at Canuck Place.
At a time when the connection and community feels more important than ever, Gaia is a beautiful reminder that showing up, being present, even in silence can be the most meaningful care you can offer.
At Canuck Place, children and families rely on compassionate, around-the-clock care. Monthly donors make that possible. Their ongoing commitment provides dependable funding that helps us respond to urgent needs, plan for the future, and offer the programs and support families depend on in their most challenging moments.