Table of Contents
Embrace and treasure each day
With Canuck Place, we found a safe space to express our emotions, allowing us to return to Selina’s side as strong, capable parents.
Selina was an amazing little girl, full of beauty, thoughtfulness, and curiosity from the day she was born.
Despite facing significant health challenges—a rare and aggressive brain cancer, and two holes in her heart—Selina remained playful and vibrant, often gripping her parents’ Jiuyi and Derek’s hands as if to say, ‘I know you love me, and I love you too.’
When Selina developed a serious infection during chemotherapy, doctors were unsure how much time she had left. It was then that Jiuyi and Derek made the loving decision to focus on managing Selina’s pain and providing a peaceful, loving environment during her final days.
“After our first visit to Canuck Place, we felt confident it was the right choice for us,” Jiuyi and Derek share. “Canuck Place clinicians treated Selina with exceptional care, prioritizing her comfort and supporting us as a family.”
Not only were Selina’s medical needs addressed, but the family’s emotional needs were supported through well-balanced meals from the kitchen staff, recreation therapy outings and memory making, and counselling sessions to support the challenging road they were facing.
“With Canuck Place, we found a safe space to express our emotions, allowing us to return to Selina’s side as strong, capable parents.”
Selina passed away with her loving parents by her side while staying at Canuck Place. Affectionately dubbed “warrior princess” by her parents, Selina was strong-willed and determined. And while her time was short, she left a lasting impact.
“Our time at Canuck Place reshaped our perspective on life,” explains Jiuyi and Derek. “We learned that the most valuable moments are the ones happening right now. Plans and future are never guaranteed, so embracing each day and treasuring time with loved ones has become our main priority.”
A legacy that lasts a lifetime
Remembering Canuck Place in your will is an act that is generous, meaningful, and surprisingly simple.
To learn more, send an email to Becky Sczebel or call 778-735-1360.
Sharing sweet moments of care
Milk & Cookies for Canuck Place, presented by BC Dairy was back for the fourth consecutive year, and brought our community together once again to support children and families at Canuck Place. Local bakeries, schools, and the Abbotsford Canucks filled the Canuck Place cookie jar with lots of love, support, and sweet treats.
From classrooms to kitchens and hockey games, Milk & Cookies for Canuck Place shows us how powerful simple acts of kindness can be. We look forward to more Milk & Cookies next year!
Big hearts, big impact
The Canuck Place Winter 50/50 was a huge success, raising a total jackpot of $421,975! One lucky winner, R. Baker of Coquitlam, took home half the prize, while the other half supports the exceptional Canuck Place care provided to children and families across BC and the Yukon.
With over $5 million in total jackpots raised since 2022, every ticket purchase helps provide expert clinical care, counselling, recreation therapy, and countless moments of joy for families facing unimaginable challenges.
Stay tuned for our Spring 50/50 and your next chance to win big while giving back!
Love is a gift
The 11th annual Gift of Love Gala presented by MNP welcomed over 250 guests from across the Fraser Valley at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Centre on March 8. The spectacular event was hosted by MC Riaz Meghji and raised over $460,000 to support children and families at Canuck Place.
Canuck Place parents Hope and Ben Cholette from Chilliwack, beautifully shared their family’s journey, and a candle lighting ceremony took place in honour of their son, Jack, and all of the children at Canuck Place.
“Canuck Place allows families moments of normalcy in a world of chaos and uncertainty. When everything becomes medicalized, sometimes healthcare professionals only see the condition and forget to see the child. Canuck Place cares for the child first and then the condition.”
It was another very special evening with the Fraser Valley community coming together to support children and families facing unimaginable circumstances.
Cycling for Canuck Place
Canuck Place mom, Mireille Larosa, recently decided she was going to take up cycling. Within two years, she went from not knowing how to ride a bike at all, to cycling through the Swiss Alps. This fall, she will embark on her most ambitious journey yet. A two-week cycling adventure across BC, that she is calling
Tour de Canuck Place.
Beginning at Canuck Place Vancouver—Glen Brae Manor, where her son Charles passed away, Mireille will complete her ride at Dave Lede House in Abbotsford, symbolically connecting the Canuck Place community across the province.
For Mireille, this ride is about honouring Charles’ legacy and raising funds for Canuck Place, to help other families receive essential pediatric palliative care.
Tour de Canuck Place will begin September 1—get ready to Cheer Mireille on!
A paw-sitively perfect staff member!
With a wag of her tail and a hop in her step, our PADS Accredited Facility Dog, Gaia, always puts a smile on the faces of families and staff alike.
April 30 is National Therapy Animal Day and Canuck Place is celebrating our favourite colleague!
Gaia has a very important job—she is instrumental in supporting the care of children and families at both our hospices, in-hospital, and in families’ homes.
On any given day, she is visiting families in their homes with her handler, Canuck Place Nurse Practitioner, Camara van Breemen, playing in the garden with kids in the hospice, or providing a cuddle to anyone who needs it.
Her compassionate demeanor and paw-sitively positive energy make an incredible impact to the care Canuck Place provides to children and families.
Join us in wishing her a happy National Therapy Animal Day!
Remembering Our Children
On January 18, Canuck Place hosted Remembering Our Children—an annual memorial gathering for families to honour the children who have passed away on the Canuck Place program in recent years.
Canuck Place counsellors led a touching memorial service, lighting a candle to honour each child’s life. The service included reflections from Canuck Place families, and songs performed by Canuck Place music therapist Michaela Wallis. Afterwards, families gathered at the Vancouver hospice for a Lantern Memorial Walk to find a beautiful lantern with their child’s name. It was a meaningful evening for families to reflect and remember.
A decade of musical memories
We are celebrating the incredible Karin Roberts, our beloved music therapist, as she embarks on the next chapter of her journey—retirement.
For the past 10 years, Karin has been the guiding light of the Canuck Place music therapy program, which she lovingly built from the ground up at Dave Lede House. With her gentle presence and skillful, soothing melodies, she has brought comfort, joy, and healing to children and families when they need it most.
Through the power of music, Karin has helped kids to be kids and has touched the lives of countless children and families, encouraging them to express what lies deepest in their hearts.
Canuck Place welcomes visiting scholar, Dr. Abby Rosenberg
In January 2025, Canuck Place Children’s Hospice Research Initiative (CPCH RI) was honoured to welcome Dr. Abby Rosenberg as a visiting scholar, sharing her expertise as a global leader in pediatric palliative care. Dr. Rosenberg is the Chief of Pediatric Palliative Care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Director of Palliative Care at Boston Children’s Hospital, and an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Rosenberg delivered an insightful presentation on resilience in pediatric palliative care and shared evidence-based resources to support children and families through the most challenging journeys. She also joined Dr. Hal Siden, Canuck Place Medical Director and Chair of the Canuck Place Research Initiative, in a meaningful discussion on their shared experiences in providing compassionate, innovative, and patient-focused care.
Canuck Place staff and clinicians are grateful for the opportunity to learn from leaders like Dr. Rosenberg as we continue to advance research, education, and clinical excellence—ensuring children with a serious illness and their families receive the very best care.