Weeks after opening a new institute to improve end-of-life care, the West Island Palliative Care Residence is once again ready to expand.
On Friday the residence held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the impending construction of a 2,800 square metre facility in Kirkland.
Since 2012 the WIPCR has operated a residence with 23 beds for patients at the end of their lives, and in May it opened a research institute where experts study way to improve the quality of care for people who have terminal illnesses.
So far the organization has raised $7.5 million for the expanded, all-under-one-roof facility, although it still needs another $5 million to completely cover the costs of construction.
Teresa Dellar, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the WIPCR, said the new building will have room for a teaching centre, and space for family members who are coping with a dying person.
"It's going to allow us to share our knowledge, our expertise, and help people who don't necessarily need to come into a residence but necessarily but need to have palliative care wherever they are, so we're going to be able to share that with them as well," said Dellar.
She said the new residence would also provide for "better and more consistent access to palliative care."
Construction on the new facility is scheduled to begin later this year and wrap up in mid-2019.
