It wasn’t Mike Marley’s sense of humour, captivating stories, or joie de vivre that won Ethel Marley’s heart – it was his passion for helping others, she says.
“As a nurse and caregiver, what drew me to Mike – apart from his wonderful personality, of course – was his kindness and how much he wanted to support people and give back to his community,” Ethel says. “He was a giver.”
When Mike was facing a life-limiting illness, he and Ethel had many conversations about how to extend their generosity through legacy giving.
“Mike had supported Victoria Hospice for many years, always taking time to learn about and understand their needs,” Ethel says.
After Mike died in May 2024, Ethel honoured his memory and their shared values by establishing the Mike and Ethel Marley Scholarship at Victoria Hospice. The scholarship provides training and education for clinical and volunteer teams to enhance their skills and practice in end-of-life, palliative, and bereavement care.
With nursing and management experience at Royal Jubilee Hospital in units from intensive care to plastic surgery, Ethel knows first-hand the importance of continuing education in health care and how donor support can make a big difference.
“People come into the nursing profession with a huge level of dedication to helping others and the desire to develop their skills,” she says. “I was fortunate to manage the burn unit at the Royal Jubilee Hospital where community donations were an important part of enabling staff to attend key continuing education courses.”
Always looking for ways to make a difference, Mike had a practice of noticing where a little extra help for training and education could propel someone’s career. A young sommelier and a physiotherapist who lacked the means for qualifying courses are just two of the many people Mike quietly supported or mentored, just for the joy of giving, Ethel says.
Mike would be “tickled pink” by the scholarship at Victoria Hospice that bears their names, she says.
“Mike loved innovation, and that’s what education is all about, especially in health care. It’s about people learning new things that, for example, can make someone’s end-of-life experience more comfortable,” she says.
Ongoing professional development for the Victoria Hospice care team includes courses in psychosocial and spiritual care, pain management, and wound care, for example. Hospice supports the care team’s involvement in current research and practice at seminars and conferences, and preparation for Certification in Hospice Palliative Care Nursing from the Canadian Nurses Association, among other opportunities.
“Part of the beauty of Mike and Ethel’s gift is the way it will be magnified many times over many years,” says Victoria Hospice CEO Teri Henderson. “The gift of education is one of the greatest offerings I can imagine, not only for our care team members’ professional practice, but for its impact on the patients and families we serve.”
Ethel experienced the effect of the care team’s skill and compassion when her first husband died in 2002.
“I’d walk over to Hospice from the RJH unit where I was working just to sit in the meditation room or talk with the social worker who was there at time. She loaned me books and was simply there for me a way I really appreciated. It takes a very special kind of person to work or volunteer at hospice.”
“Many of us have been touched by a loved one’s passing and we all have stories to share,” Ethel says. “Nothing is more precious than having our loved ones cared for with respect and dignity, and that is why Victoria Hospice is such a vital part of our community.”
Learn more about leaving a legacy at Victoria Hospice by contacting Senior Development Officer Michelle Atamanchuk at 250-812-3753 or michelle.atamanchuk@victoriahospice.org.