As a poet and science fiction writer, Kingston resident Robert Ferriman says his biggest writing influence has been the love of his life, his late partner of 25 years, Mary Danis.
Mary was a palliative care patient at Providence Care Hospital in the spring of 2024. She received such wonderful care, Robert was moved to create an acrostic poem and tribute, where each letter of the name “Providence Care” highlights the values, dedication and compassion shown by the organization and the health care providers.
“The whole premise behind Providence Care was Mary,” explains Robert. “It’s always been about Mary. This poem is my way of expressing both her appreciation as well as my own.”
Mary was diagnosed with an incurable case of lymphoma, a type of cancer in the lymphatic system, which is an important part of the immune system. She spent nearly three months at Providence Care Hospital on the Heritage 2 unit, where Robert says he was not only able to spend every night with her in her hospital room, but that her care was exceptional, and their wishes always respected.
“She received outstanding care from everybody. From the people bringing her food to the doctors and nursing staff, everyone was incredible. I thought to repay the kindness and consideration she was shown, I would write something for Mary on her behalf.”
Each stanza of Providence Care reflects a core quality like respect, dedication, care and excellence. Robert uses creative rhyme to emphasize the impact these qualities have on patients like Mary. The poem reflects his gratitude and admiration for the health care providers at Providence Care and captures their commitment to the people they serve.
“I don’t know too many people who have the patience and ability to look after someone on an ongoing basis and meet that person’s needs every single minute of the day, if need be,” says Robert. “There wasn’t a time that the staff didn’t help us if we ran into a problem. It was the caring and compassion that they have. If you want to be successful at anything, you have to care about what you’re doing, and the staff showed over and over again they have that mindset.”
Mary died peacefully with Robert by her side, a moment he says he’s deeply grateful to have had.
“Everyone was kind enough to let me stay with Mary, so when she passed on, she wasn’t alone.”
Even now, Robert says he writes for Mary every day — a way to keep their connection alive and honour their love. With more than 400 poems dedicated to her, Robert sees writing as a gift he’s been given to share with others. His gratitude for Providence Care and the dedicated people who made Mary’s final months so meaningful is expressed in exactly that way, the power of the written word.
While not everyone can express their gratitude through poetry like Robert, the Honour Your Caregiver program with the fundraising arm of Providence Care (University Hospitals Kingston Foundation) is a wonderful way to say “thank you” to recognize the exceptional care you or a loved one received. A gift made through the program provides much-needed funding for equipment, education, research, and more.
