Palliative care patients at St. Mary's Hospital get pampered for a day

Even on a gloomy day, nurse Diana Gouvopoulos knows how to bring light into the lives of patients.

She does it through TLC or Tender Love and Care day at Sainte-Mary's hospital.

"It's not Christmas, it's not Hanukkah, it's not Easter and it's not Valentine's. It's just one day for the patients so it doesn't look like a hospital anymore," she said.

Gouvopoulos introduced the idea two years ago - at the peak of the pandemic - to help sick patients in the palliative care unit feel a little less alone.

It is made possible with the help of manicurists, massage therapists, hairdressers, makeup artists, and local food caterers.

"They're so secluded," said Gouvopoulos. "I mean, could you imagine being in a hospital bed for months on end?"

This has been the case with Ron Dickinson, a patient who's been getting treatment at Ste-Mary's on and off since 2014.

"It was really, really nice to get up this morning and find out we were going to have this and get my hair cut and my nails done, everything else, the whole nine yards," he said.

For the third edition of TLC day, Gouvopoulos was joined by coworkers from the LaSalle CLSC, by volunteers, including some of her own family members.

Her father, Tim Gouvopoulos was among the dozen of others distributing doughnuts to patients along the palliative care unit.

"I service people. I ask if they want sweets or food, and I bring them to their bed. I hope to continue to do that to help people," he explained.

The owner of Montreal Meats, Mister Johnny, provided the meat that was served to patients in their hospital beds.

He says events like these make him appreciate what he does even more.

"Where we are, this is the end," he said. "And these people that are going to die, get one last great meal. And that's what I wanted to give them; I wanted to be a part of that."

Even though Gouvopoulos no longer works for Ste-Mary's Hospital, she can't seem to stay away.

"I keep on coming back to Ste-Mary's because it is home for me," she said.