Serving our Communities

Healthcare institutions deal with people at their most vulnerable. This is especially true of palliative and end-of-life care facilities responsible for safely guiding individuals onto their next spiritual journey while providing support for families preparing for the loss of a loved one.

St. Joseph’s Lifecare Foundation in Brantford, Ontario is located next to the largest Indigenous land territory in Canada. Delivering culturally informed services and understanding historical and present-day harms experienced by Indigenous Peoples is critical to the foundation’s efforts towards reconciliation.

As individuals and families navigate profound emotional, cultural, and spiritual transitions, the St. Joseph’s Lifecare Centre Brantford (SJLCB) is strengthening culturally safe palliative and end-of-life care through trauma-informed, reconciliation-centered education. This immersive initiative will offer learning opportunities for staff and residents to experience Indigenous culture firsthand. Participants will attend the Annual Grand River Pow Wow on Six Nations territory, take part in guided tours of the Woodland Cultural Centre and former Mohawk Institute Residential School, and engage with Indigenous-led art exhibits that deepen understanding of intergenerational trauma and resilience. Indigenous-themed artworks will also be displayed on its campuses through a five-year partnership with the Downie & Wenjack Fund’s Legacy Spaces Program. These programs will ensure staff gain the tools and knowledge needed to deliver care without judgment.

The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF) is honoured to help St. Joseph’s Lifecare Foundation take another step forward in transforming its institutions to better serve Indigenous communities. Funding will help physicians, nurses, personal support workers, social workers, learners, and volunteers to provide trauma-informed, culturally safe care rooted in truth and reconciliation.

Diocese of Hamilton