By Bryan Eneas

P.A. local donates land to make palliative care unit possible

Jul 21, 2016 | 6:57 PM

For eight years staff the Rose Garden Hospice Association has been trying to make its dream a reality; a 10 bed hospice center to provide quality end of life care to patients in need.

Fred Trach, a retired businessman, long-time farmer, and life-long Prince Albert resident donated almost 10 acres of his land on the corner of Marquis Road and 4th Avenue W to the Rose Garden Hospice Association to get the project underway.

This isn’t Trach’s first time donating land to the city. He also donated a parcel of land for the Rotary Trail, right in front of the land he donated to the Rose Garden Hospice Association today, July 21.

“I’m happy, I’m proud. I’m so happy it makes me cry,” Trach said. “I’m very happy I donated that land to the city. They were going through a list and it came up, they asked me if they could buy it. I said ‘no, I’m going to give it (to you).’”

For Trach, a palliative care building is very important. His wife Anne passed three years ago after an 11-year battle with cancer.

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“There were some tough days (after she passed). When this came up, I said I’d help where I can,” Trach said.

Trach got his start in business through the Foodland grocery store, now the Wholesale Club on Highway 2.

“I’ve donated lots to this city, and I want to do it more,” Trach said.

Mayor Greg Dionne and the city of Prince Albert will honour Trach’s community spirit by naming the central court of the new hospice building Trach Court.

In order to service the hospice and the West Hill region more adequately, a new water line will be installed on the portion of land according to Mayor Dionne.

For many members of the Hospice Association, this is cause is very personal.

For Don Dashchuk, the fight to build a hospice started after he learned what the service was and how it would have helped his wife during her battle with cancer. After discovering that there were no free standing hospice buildings in Saskatchewan and a total of 14 hospice rooms available across the province he started lobbying for a hospice in Prince Albert.

“Eight years feels like an eternity, but we found out from other organizations that the average is about 10 years, so I guess we’re right on track,” Dashuck said.

The biggest difference between how a patient receives care in a hospice and a hospital lies in the atmosphere of the building, he said.

“A hospital is focused on getting people well. A hospice takes a totally different approach. The people are terminal, they know that the time is short. We want to make things comfortable, for the care person and the family, as possible,” Dashuck said.

Construction of the building will begin once the Rose Garden Hospice Association fundraises the $5 million start-up costs associated with the building.

Bryan.Eneas@jpbg.ca

On twitter: @Bryan Eneas