in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, A ug us t 18 ,2 02 2 | 2 Margaret Anderson, founder of Ian Anderson House in Oakville and a pio- neer of palliative care in On- tario, has died. She was 93. Anderson opened the residential hospice almost 25 years ago in honour of her late husband Ian, who died of colon cancer in 1990. At the time of his death, there were no residential hospices in Ontario and lit- tle support was available in terms of home care. Be- cause of her experience of caring for her husband in the last few months of his life, the physical and emo- tional toll, the sense of isola- tion and the feeling of fear and uncertainty, Anderson decided to build a hospice in memory of her husband so that families in a situation like hers could be cared for and supported, said Heidi Harrigan, volunteer and events co-ordinator at Ian Anderson House. "At that time no one saw the need for hospice, but Margaret, an extremely de- termined and tenacious woman, appealed to every level government until her persistence paid off and she was able to open the hospice in Nov. 1997 on the seventh anniversary of Ian's death." Ian Anderson House is now one of many residen- tial hospices in Ontario. An- derson's tireless efforts were a catalyst for palliative care and the hospice move- ment and for more than two decades, she helped to shape and remould atti- tudes toward caring for the dying, said Harrigan. Over the last 25 years she received numerous awards and commendations, in- cluding the Meritorious Service Medal-Civil Divi- sion for individuals whose specific achievements have brought honour to Canada and The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of her ongoing contributions to the prov- ince of Ontario and the peo- ple of Canada. "Margaret dedicated her life to the hospice and to the families in our care. She al- ways put the residents first and every decision she made was always focused on what was best for them and their families. She was always able to put herself in their shoes. She was ex- tremely grateful to all the supporters of the hospice and often accepted dona- tions in person, no matter what the amount so that she could thank people person- ally, and she never missed an opportunity to promote hospice care." She was a kind and gen- erous woman, who cared deeply for her community, and was a strong advocate for quality palliative care, said Harrigan. "She was always willing to meet with individuals who were thinking of open- ing a hospice and happy to share her wisdom and expe- rience. For those of us who were lucky enough to work for her and learn from her, we are forever grateful for the lessons she taught us and for instilling in us a ded- ication and commitment to ensuring we are always pro- viding the best possible care. We have lost a true Ca- nadian hero. We are grate- ful to have had her as our leader and we will continue to do her good work." Anderson is survived by her son, Stuart, his wife, Christine, and their son, Matthew. 'DETERMINED AND TENACIOUS' Margaret Anderson is remembered as a "kind and generous woman" and as a strong advocate for palliative care. Ian Anderson House photo NEWS FOUNDER OF IAN ANDERSON HOUSE DIES "Margaret dedicated her life to the hospice and to the families in our care." - Heidi Harrigan