A new chair for the palliative care room at St. Joseph’s Hospital was recently donated, reflecting the calmness and passion of the woman who wanted to give back to the place that took care of her for months prior to her passing.
“She was so comfortable with her situation, she never once asked, ‘why is this happening to me,’” said Marian Huber, spiritual care practitioner at St. Joseph's Hospital in Estevan, referring to Charlene Zieglgansberger, arguably the biggest Bruins fan in Estevan, according to her parents Joseph and Myrla.
At 47 years old, their daughter passed away due to cancer.
Charlene spent a lot of time in palliative care with her parents and Huber, but they frequently found themselves in situations where other families would be visiting loved ones in the same room. There was only one chair, however, and it was difficult for anyone to use it without feeling bad for the others who had nowhere else to rest comfortably. Shortly before Charlene’s passing in October, she and her family planned to raise money and buy a chair for the palliative care room.
The remaining funds will go toward the upgrade.
Huber said she recently received the approval for $4,495.83 that will go toward upgrading the palliative care room.
She applied for a grant through the hospital foundation back in October 2014.
New blinds, curtains and chairs are needed for an area of the hospital that hasn’t been upgraded since it was created 25 years ago. Some paintwork will also be done to the room, but that won’t be included in the funding.
Huber also acknowledged the help provided by Room by Room Furniture in Estevan, which donated four chairs last fall, one of which is situated in the palliative care room.
Huber stressed the importance of individual donations, a sentiment Myrla and Joseph agree with wholeheartedly.
“It’s the only way they get new chairs and tables – through these donations,” said Myrla.
Joseph and Myrla praised the staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital for their work with Charlene and hope residents continue to donate in any way they can to the hospital.
"If everyone had Charlene's attitude, the world would be so great to live in," Joseph said.
