The Healing Cycle

2012 Healing Cycle Ride Links

The Healing Cycle Foundation

The Foundation wishes to honour the end-of-life journey taken by those living with a life-threatening illness, by raising and stewarding funds in support of hospice palliative care programs that compassionately uphold the dignity of individuals at the end of their life and their loved ones.

With the belief that dying is a part of living, our aim is to support individuals and their families through a difficult life passage in the hope that the experience will be manageable and meaningful. We value the quality of end-of-life and believe that individuals and their families should receive physical, emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual support during the hospice palliative care journey.

100% of all ride donations go directly to supporting hospice palliative care in Ontario.

Phase One: $1 Million Commitment Completed

The Foundation's first initiative to raise $1,000,000 for the Palliative Care Unit at Credit Valley Hospital in Mississauga was completed in 2011. Funds from our commitment have contributed to the building of the new 10,000 square foot, 15-bed centre which will house a comprehensive, family-centered program that responds to the needs of patients and their families when illness is not responsive to curative treatment. We have also used the funds to purchase all of the equipment for this new facility, everything from beds, chairs, linen carts, overbed tables and pumps, to televisions, stereos and even a new piano that is played by volunteers and family members.

Through our Kids4Kids program we have funded a Pediatric Palliative Care Facilitator position at the hospital for three years. This individual assists families once it becomes clear that their child no longer has curative treatment options at the Hospital for Sick Kids and the family wants to bring their child home. The Facilitator helps establish contact with local pediatricians and palliative care doctors and also bridges the gap between community services, Credit Valley Hospital and multidisciplinary team members. The Facilitator communicates a plan of care regarding complications, pain management and end of life.

In recognition of its significant gift, the new palliative care facility at Credit Valley Hospital has been named after the Healing Cycle Foundation.

Phase Two: Helping Hospice Palliative Care Across Ontario

The Healing Cycle Foundation has now expanded its focus by supporting hospices and palliative care organizations across Ontario. We support these organizations in three ways:

The Healing Cycle Ride

Any hospice palliative care organization that wants to raise money through our annual Healing Cycle Ride in Mississauga can enter a team. 100% of the funds raised by each hospice palliative care team will go directly back to its organization.

For further detailed information on the Healing Cycle Ride and how hospice palliative care organizations can participate, see Hospice Palliative Care Teams or contact us.

Grant Opportunities

Hospice palliative care organizations within Ontario can apply for grants from the Healing Cycle Foundation. Working with HPCO (Hospice Palliative Care Ontario), the Healing Cycle Foundation will develop a process for receiving and evaluating grant applications – guidelines, criteria and application requirements. Once this has been developed and formalized the information will be posted on this website. For further information on grants please contact us.

Fundraising Consultation

At no cost to hospice palliative care organizations, the Healing Cycle Foundation will offer to sit down on a one-to-one basis to review the current fundraising practices of the organization and offer feedback as to how the organization can improve its capacity to fundraise. For further information on this program please contact Heather Campbell, Executive Director at Heather@thehealingcycle.ca.

In the future the Healing Cycle Foundation will plan to also offer educational fundraising seminars.