It's been more than they could have imagined but even more is possible when their fundraising is complete.

That's what Nancy Macey says while assessing the new Delta Hospice Society care centre and the resident care building which opened earlier this year in Ladner.

It took years of dedication and hard work by the executive director and others with the volunteer organization to finally see their dream of a new and enhanced care model to assist those facing life-threatening illnesses and their families come to fruition.

An $8.5 million project, the Harold & Veronica Savage Centre for Supportive Care and the adjacent Irene Thomas Hospice, located on Clarence Taylor Crescent adjacent to Delta Hospital, was built entirely thanks to the donations. The Fraser Health Authority provided the land and operating dollars are provided for the 10-bed palliative care unit, but it's still up to the society to fund the operations of supportive care centre, which provides information, counseling and acts as an all-around resource base for families.

Macey was interviewed at the grounds of the new centre last week and also on hand were employees Dalyce Wickett and Catherine Andrews, as well as longtime volunteer Patrick Lobsinger.

"Towards the end, so frequently, people end up in hospital but so few hospitals are really geared to take care of them," said Lobsinger, who has been helping a male patient at the hospice deal with end-of-life issues.

Lobsinger said he heard the centre described as an "acute, comfort, care" facility. According to the society, this past year the Centre for Supportive Care received more than 14,000 phone calls and visits. After opening this February, the Irene Thomas Hospice has accommodated more than 70 patients as well as their loved ones.

Andrews said the hospice residence gives families a chance to be a family again and care for each other.

"They can say things that need to be said and to spend quality time with the person who's dying, because often times they've been struggling to care for them at home or care for them at hospital under difficult conditions. Coming here means the care team can care for those needs," said Andrews.

Macey agreed, saying, "One of the things with having this new project, I realize now, we have specialists who support families, like medical specialists. That's been such an important thing for people when they have to be hospitalized or have to have care outside of the home. The setting is also a more appropriate place for families."

Macey said the counselors at the supportive care centre provide a segue into all the care that's available, whether someone with a life-threatening illness is still at home or requires a hospice bed, so they can get the right care at the right time at the right place.

"So often when people are in the community and have a diagnoses or are very ill, they don't know what's available," she said.

Andrews noted community health nurses do a good job in helping people with serious illnesses stay at home for as long as possible.

"Often times we become partners with the community health nurses and families at a much later stage in their journey than in other communities. Sometimes the families that come to us from our own community stay quite a short time, which is a very appropriate use of this resource because what it means is it's connected to the way the community is already doing business," said Andrews.

The hospice society's thrift store in Tsawwassen provides a majority of the funding to operate the supportive care centre.

"What's important for people to know about that is what the thrift store means is that the society can be responsive to the things this community needs, it's not dictated by anyone else," Andrews said.

Macey noted that in addition to its support services, the supportive care also started an early Alzheimer's group, a caregiver's group, a bereavement walking group and a relaxation group. The society is also hoping to start a pain and symptom management clinic. However, the biggest challenge the society still faces is that the fundraising goal is not yet complete. About $900,000 is still needed, said Macey, noting community groups and individuals are continuing to help out.

"There's a lot of support but when you have $900,000, it's a big final piece, so it is a challenge how we go forward. That eats up funds we can be putting into service," she said.

An unusual challenge, meantime, the staff at the centre face has been from bunnies, which are overrunning the grounds due to being displaced by the construction of the new gymnastics facility across the street. Macey noted some of the rabbits have begun burrowing into the foundation of the buildings, which will require $20,000 to refit to prevent the critters from causing any further damage.

For more information or to make a donation to the Delta Hospice Society visit www.deltahospice.org or call 604-948-0660.