For the Haramis family, death was not a journey anyone faced alone. It has always been shared with love, togetherness, and honouring life in its final moments. Through the experiences of losing their beloved uncle, Father Rudy Villeneuve, and more recently their parents, the 10 Haramis siblings have come to understand the deep meaning of what it means to be truly present at the end of life. Peggy and Harry Haramis and their sister Cathy Malyon say that much of that understanding was made possible by the compassionate care they received at Carefor Hospice Cornwall.

Their first experience with Hospice came in 2011, when the mother’s brother Father Rudy, was diagnosed with cancer in his 80s. He was more than just an uncle. “He was a big part of our lives from the day we were born to the day he died,” the family recalls.

Walking through the hospice doors for the first time felt overwhelming. “It was really sad,” says Peggy. “It felt like a living funeral. He’s going to walk in and not walk out.” But within minutes, that feeling shifted. “It felt like a resort. We just knew he was going to be well cared for.”

Father Rudy’s three weeks at Hospice were filled not with sorrow but joy, humour, and connection. The family reminisced, laughed, and spent time just being together. “Rather than focusing on his care, we were able to focus on him. He had a great sense of humour. We had some really happy and funny times,” remembers Harry.

“They saw us, not just the patient. If they saw you needed it,
they would hug you. They treated the family, too.”

A Wedding at Hospice

A moment that defined the hospice experience came when their friend Margaret’s partner, Jim Campbell—also in hospice at the time—expressed a final wish: to marry Margaret. Though at first hesitant, Margaret agreed, and in a beautiful, intimate ceremony held in Father Rudy’s room and officiated by Father Rudy himself, they were married. Peggy sang at the wedding. Staff at Hospice even arranged a reception. “There was so much love,” the family remembers. “Hospice didn’t just make it happen—they made it beautiful.”

The staff were extraordinary. “They knew the end was coming, and they helped us take advantage of that time,” says Cathy. “They saw us, not just the patient. If they saw you needed it, they would hug you. They treated the family, too.”

Care for Their Mother in Her Final Days

That same care and compassion guided them again in February 2024, when their 98-year-old mother, Marion, spent her final days at Carefor Hospice Cornwall. “Mom held on until all of us could be there,” says Peggy. “She said what she needed to say to each of us. That wouldn’t have happened in a hospital.”

Each moment with her was a gift. “She shared special memories with each of us,” says Cathy. Years before, their mother told her grandson, Nicholas, that if he was ever scared that he could imagine her arms around him. During their final phone call from New York City with his grandmother at Hospice, “Nicholas said the same thing to her, that if she was scared she could feel his arms around her.”

Their mother’s passing came after a hard decision. She developed a gallbladder infection, and the family had to decide whether to treat her. “It would have extended the process in a way that was unnatural,” says Harry. “Having her die with dignity and love was very important to us.”

“She’d be 100 this year,” Cathy adds. “Letting her go was hard. We all had some doubts if it was the right time. But in the end, the support we received from Hospice felt like a gift from God.”

Today, the family continues to reflect on how much Hospice meant to them. “Our lives changed the day she passed,” says Peggy. “Everything we did was to take care of Mom. Hospice gave us a place to begin that transition.”

The Caring Continues

Even now, the connection to Carefor Hospice continues. The family has been welcomed back for memorial events, and staff still reach out. “Some of the conversations we had with the nurses were amazing,” says Cathy. “They didn’t just look after Mom—they looked after us. It takes a special kind of person to do that.”

Faith has always been central to the Haramis family, and the hospice honoured that too. “They embrace what’s important to each family,” Peggy says. “They learn your story. They support it.”

In the end, their journey through death was one of life, love, and connection. “Death doesn’t just happen to the person dying,” says Cathy. “It happens to the whole family. And at Hospice, we were never alone.”



Forty per cent of Carefor Hospice Cornwall’s services are provided through donor support. If you able to help us continue to provide compassionate end of life care to people in your community, we would be very grateful if you would consider a donation: https://carefor.ca/donate-cornwall-hospice/