Canuck Place Children’s Hospice kicked off the holiday season at its second provincial location, Dave Lede House in Abbotsford, on Monday.
Among those in attendance for the Lighting of the House event were local donors and supporters, Canuck Place families, Education Minister Peter Fassbender, Abbotsford West MLA Mike de Jong, Mayor Henry Braun and several Abbotsford city councillors.
The festive event included performances by Nikki Meier and Ben Klassen, the MEI Jazz Band and country artist AJ Woodworth.
Children were entertained with a variety of activities and a visit from Fin, the official mascot of the Vancouver Canucks.
Now in the second of its four-phase opening plan, the Abbotsford location is operating community-centered services such as counselling, recreation therapy and clinical consultation for children and families in the Fraser Valley.
Abbotsford's Sidhu family, who are in the Canuck Place program, were in attendance along with a number of other children and families.
Kaitlyn, 6, was diagnosed at birth with a rare life-threatening condition called semilobar holoprosenchephaly.
“Canuck Place allowed our family to live together,” said mom Amanda Sidhu. “The clinical team does everything possible to help Kaitlyn; they literally saved our family from a very difficult time. It’s a home filled with love that comes from the hearts from everyone inside and we could not be more thankful for their support.”
Canuck Place in Abbotsford is located on the Campus of Care on Marshall Road next to Abbotsford Regional Hospital.
For more information, visit canuckplace.org.