The courage and vision of the children and families we have had the privilege of journeying with over the past 16 years through our community hospice program, has led us to establishing Emily's House, our Pediatric Palliative Care Hospice.

Our 10 bed Hospice is an expansion of our current programs and is endorsed by many pediatric palliative service providers who agree it is time to offer increased care options for children and families. Emily's House will be a comfortable, child-friendly surrounding, with personalized family centred programs delivered through professional staff and trained volunteers.

Take a few minutes to learn about the compassion of Philip Aziz Centre hospice care and the ‘celebration of life’ Emily’s House will bring to many Toronto families who have been given a terminal diagnosis for their child. Please consider supporting PAC by giving a donation of your time and/or funds .

Philip Aziz Centre (PAC) is expanding its current community based hospice services to meet the needs of families and children living with the challenges of a life-limiting illness by establishing a Children’s Residential Hospice. This Home will provide increased respite options for families and a choice of setting for medical/respite care. Currently families only have 2 options, hospital or home.

It is the 1st of its kind in Toronto – one of 6 in Canada - building on PAC’s fifteen years of excellent hospice care and support for people living with cancer, HIV/AIDS and other life-limiting illnesses in the comfort of their own homes.

Read more in a recent article in the Toronto Star:

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/767107--plans-for-toronto-s-first-children-s-hospice-unveiled

This family-centered, safe, professional home-like environment will offer 10 pediatric palliative and respite care beds.

Emily's House has been named in honour of Emily Yeskoo who is one of our courageous clients battling a life-limiting illness, she represents hundreds of children and their families who face similar daily changes.

Emily's House Programs will include:

Respite care for family caregivers - designed to provide family caregivers time for their own rest, renewal and time for other siblings.

Acute end of life care - provide families with resources and support allowing them to focus on making the most of their final days with their children.

Pain and symptom management - relieve pain related issues.

Transitional care - provide support / education for families to ensure they are skilled and comfortable to care for their child at home.

Spiritual, grief and bereavement support - provide counseling services to families along the trajectory of illness through to bereavement.

Pediatric palliative and respite care, in this home-like setting will be offered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by professional staff who are dedicated to enhancing the quality of life of children, youth and their families living with life-limiting illnesses. Staff will be an interdisciplinary team, incorporating a diverse group of healthcare professionals, support staff and volunteers, all specialized in pediatric care.

PAC’s Children’s Home will offer a place where life is celebrated and lived to the fullest and every moment becomes a precious memory for the family. Whether life is measured in days, weeks, months or even years, children living with a life-limiting diagnosis deserve the opportunity to learn, play, develop and grow….to be just kids, in a comfortable, child friendly setting, with personalized family centered programs.

PAC will continue to work in collaboration with CCAC’s, Sick Kids Hospital and other health care professionals and community agencies to provide a continuum of comprehensive pediatric care, which will help to make the journey with serious illness more manageable and meaningful for children and families.

PAC has found an ideal site for the Children's Home at the Governor's House at 562 Gerrard Street East, near Broadview. We are working closely with the Ontario Heritage Trust and City of Toronto’s Heritage Preservation to preserve this historic building. To meet standards for Residential Hospice we also plan an addition to the rear of the site. The addition will feature a Green Roof, dining area, elevator and additional bedroom space. The green space surrounding the home has been granted to the City of Toronto as a park. Emily’s House has obtained Committee of Adjustment approvals, building permits and Heritage approvals for the addition and restoration. Restoration has begun on the gatekeepers building, our admin space, and on Emily’s House and will be completed in October. Construction on the addition will begin in October with the home opening in late 2012.