In 2025, the Victoria Hospice community lost one of our own, nurse Judy Dupuis. The following is an tribute from one of Judy’s closest colleagues.
Judy was small (in stature), but mighty! I recall hearing a story where Judy, our PRT nurse, ‘stood her guard’ at a home, blocking the paramedic team from entering a home. The client’s ‘goals of care’ had changed and the client & her family wanted ‘end of life’ at home. Judy was always a champion of our clients and the choices they made!
Judy demonstrated an ability to balance calm & compassion, even when her own heart was breaking. A counselling colleague recalls our team going into a home where a child was dying. The child’s mother was afraid to touch them, as they were in so much physical pain. Judy gently & compassionately encouraged the mom to crawl into bed with her child for one last cuddle. Judy slowly & patiently helped the mom crawl into bed & put her arms around the child, reassuring her that she was providing comfort & not causing pain. We left the home & Judy cried in the car. The child died a few hours later. This highlights the genuine care & thoughtfulness that Judy brought to her work on PRT.
Another colleague recalls that Judy volunteered at Hospice while waiting for a nursing position. Then it was important for Judy to pursue her degree in Nursing & further her knowledge in Palliative care. Judy was a hard worker, working on her BSC part time while working at Hospice full time.
There are some people you work with who quietly shape the kind of nurse- and person- you become. Judy was one of those people. I had the privilege of working alongside Judy on the in-patient unit, where she became not only a trusted colleague, but an incredible mentor & friend. She always made time to collaborate, to teach, to listen and to support. No matter how busy the shift became, Judy carried herself with a calm wisdom that made others feel capable and seen.
Some of my favourite memories of Judy were not only about nursing, but the conversations we shared in between the demands of the unit. We often spoke about family, our daughters, and the memorable stories from growing up that somehow connected us across generations. Those moments mattered. They reminded me that nursing is built as much on humanity and relationships as it is on skills and knowledge.
Judy also had a wonderful sense of humour. We shared many laughs over the years – the kind that get you through long shifts and difficult days. I’ll always smile when I remember her love of Hawkins Cheezies and popcorn, something she had in common with my own mom. Small things like that become unexpectedly meaningful later, little pieces of someone that stay tucked inside your memory.
Judy made people feel comfortable. She mentored without judgement, taught without ego and cared deeply about both her patients and her colleagues. Her presence on the unit brought reassurance and warmth, and her a sense is deeply felt.
I feel grateful to have known her, learned from her, and laughed with her. Judy leaves behind the kind of legacy nurses hope to leave – not only in the care she provided, but in the kindness, mentorship and connection she gave so freely to others.
She will be remembered with great affection and missed very much.
~By Elspeth Gambal, former hospice nurse and friend of Judy’s