“A Place to Turn: Compassionate Hospice Care for Families in Crisis"​

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When Kyle died, his deep pain didn’t disappear—it became his family’s to carry.

Ashley was nine when her whole world revolved around her older brother Kyle. Growing up together on a small island near Campbell River, they were inseparable. Kyle loved the outdoors—riding quads, exploring forest trails, and camping under the stars. The woods were his sanctuary, and he dreamed of one day starting his own logging business close to home.

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To Ashley, Kyle was everything—her brother, her protector, her best friend. He was kind, funny, and full of life. But when he left their island to start high school in Campbell River, everything changed.

Coming from a tight-knit island community, Kyle stood out. His clothes, his quiet nature, his way of life—everything about him made him “different.” What began as teasing slowly became relentless cruelty. Words that might seem small to others cut deeply, and the boy who once thrived in nature began to withdraw into silence.

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At home, Kyle tried to shield Ashley and his parents from his pain. He smiled through his sadness, told stories about new friends, and tried to protect his little sister’s innocence. But behind that smile, his world was growing darker.

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Then one day, Kyle went missing. The entire community searched for him—three long, agonizing days filled with hope, fear, and heartbreak.

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In grade 10, Kyle made a heartbreaking decision. The pain he carried became too heavy to bear, and he took his own life in the forest he loved.

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When the search ended, their world collapsed. The silence that followed was unbearable. The family was left with endless questions and a grief so deep it felt impossible to survive.

That’s when a family doctor gently suggested they reach out to the Campbell River Hospice Society. It was there, in the midst of their darkest days, that Ashley and her parents found something they hadn’t felt in a long time—understanding.

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Ashley joined the Child & Youth Program, where she began to talk about her brother and learned that she wasn’t alone. Her parents received trauma and grief counselling, both individually and together. Hospice became their lifeline—a place to breathe, to cry, and to begin to heal as a family.

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Because hospice care is offered at no cost and without a time limit, they could take the time they needed to grieve without the added burden of financial worry. Over the next year and a half, they leaned on hospice for counselling, relaxation therapy, and group support. And even now, hospice remains there for them—always ready to welcome them back when the weight of loss feels too heavy again.

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In time, Ashley and her parents planted a cedar tree in Kyle’s honour—a living reminder of the forest he loved. Around its roots, they share memories of his laughter, his kindness, and the way he could light up a room. Though the pain of losing Kyle will never vanish, hospice gave them the strength to carry it with love instead of despair.

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Their story is one of unimaginable loss—but also of healing, resilience, and the power of community care.

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Hospice isn’t just about end-of-life support. It’s about helping families like Ashley’s survive the unthinkable—so grief doesn’t destroy the living.

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This year, we’re asking our community to come together to raise $100,000 to ensure every child, youth, and family facing traumatic loss can find the same compassion, care, and healing that Ashley’s family did.

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Every dollar makes a difference.

Every act of generosity helps turn heartbreak into hope.

Together, we can ensure that when the unimaginable happens, no family in our community has to carry their pain alone.

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(Details have been changed to protect the family’s privacy.)