A Community Comes Together at Foyer Lacombe

Imagine visiting a loved one in hospice. 

You pull up a chair and reach for their hand, holding it just a little tighter than usual. You talk about small things, memories, familiar moments, trying to bring comfort to a space that can feel anything but. 

Then a caregiver quietly enters. 

With gentle care, they begin to reposition your loved one, every movement slow and deliberate, focused on keeping them safe and free from pain. You watch, realizing just how fragile comfort can be and how much it depends on the people around them. 

In places like Foyer Lacombe, care is never given by one person alone. It is carried by a community. 

A shared commitment 

Moments like these happen every day in Covenant’s continuing and end of life care, and even small improvements can change how they are experienced. 

This shared commitment was celebrated on March 25, 2026 at Covenant’s Foyer Lacombe hospice in St. Albert, where residents, donors, caregivers and community leaders gathered to mark the funding of 10 specialized beds through Covenant Foundation. 

Each bed was made possible through the collective generosity of people who chose to give. 

Centrella beds are designed to help caregivers reposition residents easier, monitor their well-being and respond quickly to their needs.  

“This project is a beautiful example of what can happen when a community comes together with a shared purpose,” said Kara Mothersell, development officer at Covenant Foundation. “Because of the generosity of this community, residents at Foyer Lacombe will experience greater comfort, safety and dignity every day.” 

Feels like home 

For those receiving care, these beds provide a more stable and supportive place to rest. Residents and their families are already noticing the change. 

“It’s like sleeping in my own bed. That comfort makes all the difference”, shares Bruce, a grateful resident of Foyer Lacombe. 

This is what Covenant Foundation helps make possible: helping elevate health care to the highest standard.

“These beds transform Foyer Lacombe into the gold standard of care. They help transform the resident experience,” says Matthieu Coulombe, chaplain at Foyer Lacombe.   

A community that shows up 

This project came to life through many hands and generous hearts.  

The beds were funded directly through Covenant Foundation, alongside gifts from Don and Tammy Bremault and the St. Albert Sturgeon Hospice Association (SASHA), whose efforts also brought together many others to contribute.  

“This is the last bed they’ll see and the last piece of equipment they’ll need. That’s part of dying with dignity”, shares donor Don Bremault, a long-time member of the St. Albert community. “This is owed to the people in our community. It’s about giving families dignity and ease at the end of life.” 

It is this spirit – people stepping forward, giving what they can and standing alongside one another – that shapes the experience of care at Foyer Lacombe and other Covenant sites across Alberta. 

At Covenant Foundation, we are grateful to be part of communities like this where generosity continues to show up in meaningful ways: through donors, partners, caregivers and families alike.  

 “Every gift helps spark something meaningful,” Kara added. “Whether it’s equipment that improves comfort, programs that create connection, or spaces that support healing, donor generosity helps ensure residents experience care that is not only excellent, but deeply compassionate.”  

 In the end, it is this collective care that surrounds each resident and stays with the people who love them long after they leave the room. 

 This is just one example of how donor generosity is advancing health care across our communities. Will you make a gift today?