A HEARTFELT WAY TO REMEMBER MOM
Maggie and Casey Billings remember their mom Mary as an incredibly caring woman who had the biggest heart.
“She was always thinking of others and looking for ways she could help, even when she had so much of her own to carry,” Maggie said.
Mary was someone who valued spending time with the people closest to her heart, and family meant the world to her.
“She didn’t need anything extravagant to be happy – being surrounded by the people she loved was what mattered most to her,” Casey added.
So when Maggie and Casey decided to hold the inaugural Walk/Run for Mom on September 6 in Round Lake Centre in support of Madawaska Valley Hospice Palliative Care (MVHPC), it felt like a fitting way to honour their mom.
The Billings family was first introduced to MVHPC in 2024 when they were looking for a comfortable and peaceful place for Mary as she approached end of life.
There, the family was touched by the care and compassion shown by the staff and volunteers, who were attentive to Mary’s needs and made her comfort a priority.
“They seemed to know exactly what she needed, and always made decisions with her comfort and best interests in mind,” Maggie said. “They helped ease her fears and anxieties and made her as comfortable and peaceful as possible during such a difficult time.”
For the Billings family, hospice quickly became a home away from home.
While staff provided personal, compassionate care for Mary, volunteers prepared meals for family and friends who came to visit. It meant the Billings family could spend their final days together, focused on what mattered most.
“They gave us the space to focus on what really mattered - being together and spending time with mom,” Casey said.
Two years after Mary’s passing, Maggie and Casey wanted to find a meaningful way to honour her memory. They envisioned something small and personal, inviting friends and family to come together in Mary’s name.
More than 100 people took part in the private event, making a donation and then walking or running 2, 5 or 10 kilometres.
An incredible $12,235 was raised in support of hospice through the St. Francis Valley Healthcare Foundation.
Mary was never one for being the centre of attention, but knowing that her memory brought so many together - while supporting a cause that had meant so much to her family - would have brought her great joy.
“It means so much to be able to give back to our community in a way that brings our friends and family together while also honouring our beautiful mother,” Maggie said. “It allows us to take something incredibly difficult and create something positive in her memory.”
The St. Francis Valley Healthcare Foundation raises funds for St. Francis Memorial Hospital, MVHPC and the Valley Manor.
Fundraisers like the Walk/Run for Mom are one of the many ways community members help make a difference for local healthcare. The funds raised through events like this help our healthcare partners provide the programs, services and equipment needed to keep quality healthcare close to home.
For more information on hosting your own fundraiser, please Click Here.
