34 - Sunday, September 6, 1992 ~ North Shore News

HIGH

A great
Canuck

Raising funds for local hospice

LOIS YOUNGSON has
devoted the greater part of
‘her life to volunteering, go-
ing about it in her quiet,
humble way.

By Evelyn Jacob
News Reporter

So it wasn’t surprising that the
68-year-old West Vancouver resi-
dent felt slightly out of place dur-
ing the Canadian Voluntees
Awards ceremony held in Ottawa
in June.

Heaith and Welfare Canada was
honoring Youngson and 14 ather
Canadians for their unflagging
commitment to helping others, but
in Youngson’s mind, she was ac-
cepting the national honor. on
behalf of all women volunteers
and their husbands.

“Pm not big on medals,’’ she
says of her unassuming work-a-

”

NAME: Lois Youngson

BORN: Winnipeg, Manitoba
RESIDENCE: West Vancouver
EDUCATION: University of
Manitoba grad

OCCUPATION: Registered nurse,
volunteer

FAMILY: Married to Gordon;
four children, eight grandchildren

care for gravely ill children and
their families.

“We got busy and gathered a
few people together,’’ says
Youngson. ‘“‘We got a lot of en-
couragement from the medical
profession. It’s gone on from
there. It’s amazing how we ever
thought we could do it on our
own.” :

When it opens in the spring of
1994, Canuck Place, supported by
the Canuck Foundation, the Van-
couver Sun and thousands of
private citizens and corporate
donors, will have two family

- 4& I was very lucky that I had the

support of my husband and my kids.

Other people don’t have any. support,
and that can be grim.99

day approach to volunteerism.
“Volunteering is someihing I’ve
always done. I feel that’s what
I'm here for.” ”

Thanks to Youngson, 2 regis-
tered ‘nurse, and two other like-
minded ‘women of courage .
pediatric: nurse Brenda Eng and
Betty | - Davies, an associate pro-
fessor of nursing atthe University
of* British Columbia — B.C.
children. with . termina} illnesses
will. Soon ‘have a place where they
can live out their. last days with
the comforting support of their
families.

-Youngson has been busy raising
support for Canuck Place, North
America’s first free-standing
hospice for. seriously ill children.
But’ her commitment to volun-
teering began long before then.

-. At .the ‘tender age of .13 she
signed up with the Red Crass,
helping ‘out with the organiza-
tion’s: blood donor clinics. From
‘there came PTA meetings at her
children’s school and stints at
ae and Children’s Hospi-
is.

. When she hooked up with the
c ‘anadian’ Cancer Society in 1948
she made a pledge to stick with it
for the long haui. In 1990, after
42 long. years, during which time
she founded Camp Goodtimes —
a summer camp for cancer-
stricken children — she decided it
was time to stand back and !et
someone else take over.

“*You get very possessive,’’ she
says of her need to let go.

It was at Camp Gocdtimes
where she met Eng, who expressed
concern over the lack of hospice

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— Laois Youngson

suites and eight private bedrooms
for children with life-threatening,
progressive diseases.

It will house a staff of nurses
and volunteers, and offer respite,
palliative and bereavement care.

Modelled after Heien House, a
pediatric hospice in Oxford,
England, Canuck Place will be,
according to Youngson, a home
away from home, a place where
parents can receive much-needed
support.

“A lot of sick kids prefer to be
at-home. Parents will be able to
stay overnight in the family suites,
and the kids can bring their pets.””

Youngson would have dearly
welcomed a hospice 12 years ago
when her 18-year-old son Scott
was dying of non- Hodgkin’ s
Lymphoma.

Scott was a 16-year-old student
at West Vancouver’s Sentinei sec-
ondary school when his cancer
was diagnosed.

“It came as a terrible shock,”
says Youngson. ‘‘He was healthy

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