Shoppers Drug Mart partners with The Hospice to support wellness programs

The Hospice of Windsor and Essex County, through its wellness centre, will be teaming up with 20 local Shoppers Drug Mart franchises thanks to the efforts by two local women.

For years Sheila Nayar had been dealing with health issues and in 2006 received a kidney transplant. After a suggestion from a Hospice volunteer, she tried some of the organizations services.

“The wellness centre and all the wellness programs they offered me were what I needed to keep me positive,” said Nayar.

Nayar said she explained the situation to her daughter Anisha, a pharmacist and Shoppers franchisee. She noticed the positive change in her mother’s physical and mental health after using the wellness programs offered by The Hospice.

“I couldn’t believe the change in her whole attitude,” said Anisha. “I knew after that Hospice was something I needed to support personally, but I wanted to do more. I thought it was a no-brainer that Shoppers Drug Mart should support community wellness through this organization and the wonderful work they do.”

Anisha, other Shoppers owners and The Hospice eventually decided to work on the LifeWalk together.

Laura Lemmon, communications and events specialist for The Hospice said the organization’s programming has expanded in its 37-year history.

“We offer over 47 different wellness programs now, but those can be anything from different support groups for people who are going through a life altering diagnosis to art, to yoga, exercise (and) we run a cooking class,” said Lemmon. “We try to listen to the needs of the people who use our wellness center and offer something that would interest everyone.”

Anyone interested in getting involved with the program can visit www.thehospicelifewalk.ca or for volunteering opportunities can call The Hospice at 519-974-7100 and ask to speak to a person at the volunteer department for more information.

The LifeWalk will be held June 12 at the Ciociaro Club of Windsor. Registration is at 9 a.m.