A Chatham-Kent woman who worked in health care for more than 45 years and is now receiving end-of-life care is encouraging the community to donate to the Chatham-Kent Hospice Foundation.
Willi Kirenko and her husband Nestor will be matching up to $100,000 in donations to the foundation. Willi Kirenko has worked as a registered nurse and a nurse practitioner, as well as the vice-president and chief nursing officer at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance and site leader for the local COVID-19 vaccination clinic.
Recently, she spent nine years providing end-of-life care before being diagnosed with cancer that has progressed rapidly.
In a video posted to the Chatham-Kent Hospice Facebook page, Kirenko said she decided to become a resident at the hospice after experiencing a number of falls at home.
“I felt that even though it was early in the journey that I should come here for the services that are offered,” she said.
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Although her family was helping her at home, Kirenko said she felt “they should be family members rather than personal care givers.”
In a news release, Kirenko said she now understands hospice in a way she couldn’t before.
“I know firsthand what this care provides: comfort when things are difficult, compassion when words aren’t enough and the reassurance that no one has to face the end of life alone,” she said.
Her time at hospice has led her and her husband to become ambassadors for hospice care and to make these services available to others in the community, the release said.
“Everyone should have the same opportunity for end-of-life care that I have,” Kirenko said in the video. “I’ve benefited so much already in the last few weeks. I want that same thing for others.”
The Willi’s Match campaign will run until the end of the year or until the $100,000 goal is reached. Donations can be made at www.chathamkenthospice.com.
