After 32 years in Castlegar, Castlegar Hospice Society executive director Suzanne Lehbauer is moving to the Calgary area to be closer to her son and the rest of her family. No replacement has been named. We spoke with her after she announced the move this week.
How long have you been with hospice?
Over 16 years. It’s a long time to be in this position. As I’m sure many people know, it’s quite a high burnout-type of position, so I’m really proud of the years I put in here. It was just a fluke that I got started with hospice. They were looking for someone to develop and administer more programs and give them a higher profile in the community. They hired me and I did my best to achieve all of those things.
What are some of your key highlights?
The thing I’m most proud of is my team of hospice support workers, our fundraising volunteers, our board of directors. I’m so proud of the work they do and what they achieve to make this a compassionate community and provide those essential health services to all our community members. I could not be more pleased to work alongside them.
I’m very proud of the programs that have been developed here, what we have done with grief and bereavement support. We’ve won numerous awards for those. Our virtual reality has to be right there at the top, because that gave us international recognition for a program which great and has so many other organizations across Canada now using it. That’s wonderful. When someone thinks what you’re doing is incredible and want to do it themselves, that’s a bonus. And of course lately our wind phone in Millennium Park, which I think is going to be very special for many people.
Sixteen years is a long time to do any job, but what was it about hospice that kept you going?
The sense of need in our community. There is such a need for those programs and that support. That’s what kept me going through the tough times. And all the incredible people you meet along the way. You’re with them at such intimate part of their life and to be able to be with people as they transition throughout their life is very, very special.
When is your last day?
I will be finished toward the end of August. I’m going to try to get in as much training as I can for our workers and the public. I’ll be doing more hospice client worker training. Keep an eye on our website for that. I’ll also be doing more training with our workers and probably another advance care planning workshop. So trying to jam a whole bunch of training in the next month and a half or so.
Anything else you’d like to add?
I’m very proud to have served this community. Thank you to everyone for their support. I know I can count on everyone here to support hospice as it transitions into a new phase and new people.
