On a summer day in late August, at the Steel family cottage, four generations of a large, blended family gathered with their dad, stepdad, uncle, grandpa and friend, David Boyd, known as Dave to all who loved him.
It was Dave’s final wish to see the sunset at his cottage surrounded by family. With the help of Providence Care and the dedication of his family, that wish came true.
“It was a perfect day,” says Dave’s wife, Donna Boyd, reflecting on Dave’s final visit to the cottage. “It was a big family gathering, just like we always have, and he had a wonderful time. He was able to just be himself at his favourite place.”
Dave was a patient at Providence Transitional Care Centre (PTCC), transferred there for rehabilitation after emergency surgery for a perforated bowel. While at PTCC, a pathology report revealed an aggressive T-cell lymphoma (cancer). Dave’s care was shifted to palliative without requiring a transfer to another facility.
“Dave felt cared for at PTCC,” explains Dave’s stepdaughter Sherri Mallory. “He didn’t want to be transferred. He was happy and loved the staff.”
Part of the incredible staff in charge of Dave’s care was Social Worker Rachel Holthof. As a social worker, Rachel supports patients and families with practical needs, planning, and end-of-life care.
“While we were discussing the supports available, a family member asked him what he wanted, and he said he hoped to go to the cottage one last time. They wondered if it was even possible,” explains Rachel.
“I always believe that when there’s a will, there’s a way. Despite the logistics involved, I was determined to help make it happen,” she adds.
With support from Dave’s care team, transportation became the biggest obstacle.
“The cottage was an hour away, and with his care needs, transportation required a stretcher transfer with staff to remain with him for personal care,” explains Rachel.
“I started looking into it and realized how expensive it was going to be and got a little worried,” says Sherri. “That’s when Rachel let us know about funding through the Providence Care Comfort Fund.”
The Comfort Fund is raised by Providence Care volunteers and supported through different initiatives like the gift shops, bingo nights, raffle sales and special events throughout the year. It helps patients, clients and residents find a little extra joy, or like the title suggests, comfort, for things they might not have access to.
“I reached out to Volunteer Services about the need and they came back and supported the trip with $500, which was a huge blessing to the family,” explains Rachel.
The Comfort Fund supports a wide range of needs, with staff able to make requests based on an individual’s unique circumstances.
“The financial support to make the cottage experience happen for Dave was really just the cherry on top of the wonderful experience we had,” says Donna.
On a hot summer day, the family gathered at the family cottage for a huge meal, a swim in the lake, and the chance to enjoy one another one last time outside the hospital walls.
“He was just very happy, very grateful to be there that day and whenever one of the children came around, he was just beaming. You could see the joy in his face,” says Donna.
Donna and Dave were high school sweethearts who reconnected decades later after both had lost their spouses. They married in 1996, blending their families and building new traditions together, many of them at the cottage.
“If someone was going to use the cottage, Dave would always go beforehand and get it ready, cutting the grass, charging the solar lights, making sure there was wood,” says Sherri.
That same care and connection were present on his final visit to the cottage.
“In the end, it was a truly wonderful experience for him,” says Dave’s daughter Ardeth Kirkham (née Boyd). “It was a celebration of his years with Donna and the family at a place he had come to love. He was able to see his sunset, surrounded by friends and family — both there in person and virtually. I believe he felt his journey was complete.”
For Dave’s family, that day, and the care that made it possible, is something they won’t forget.
“We are deeply grateful to the Providence Care team,” says Sherri. “Their compassion, constant communication, the way they wrapped all of us in care made everything possible for our family.”
Just five days after that final visit to the cottage, Dave passed away peacefully and quietly.
For everyone who was there, the day remains a lasting memory. A simple but meaningful chance to gather, to celebrate, and to be together in a place Dave loved most.
It’s a reminder that even in the most difficult moments, compassionate care can help create time and space for what matters most.
Moments like Dave’s are made possible through the generosity of donors and the dedication of volunteers. If you’d like to help create more opportunities for connection and comfort, you can make a donation through University Hospitals Kingston Foundation or support volunteer-led initiatives, including the gift shops at Providence Care Hospital and Providence Manor.
