At 72, Chris Forster has spent a lifetime walking alongside others in moments that matter most. Now, as a volunteer with Providence Care, he is being recognized for that quiet presence through the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation (UHKF)’s Honour Your Caregiver program.
Chris volunteers at Providence Care Hospital on the Palliative Care Unit and with the Spiritual Health Department. On Tuesdays, he visits patients and families receiving palliative care, checking in with nursing staff before making his rounds. On Thursday afternoons, he helps transport patients to Catholic Mass in the hospital’s Worship Centre and brings Holy Communion to those unable to attend.
Receiving the Honour Your Caregiver recognition was a bit of a shock.
“But a good shock. It certainly gives me encouragement,” Chris says. “Without occasionally receiving recognition and heartfelt gratitude, it can be challenging to continue giving as a volunteer. It helps make my work feel valued.”
The Honour Your Caregiver program allows patients and families to recognize caregivers (including volunteers) with a donation made in their honour through UHKF.
In Chris’ case, the recognition came from the parents of a long-term patient he visits regularly. The patient is non-verbal and requires significant support. His visits are simple but intentional.
“It’s about recognizing that he has dignity and deserves respect as much as any other human being,” he says. “Sometimes it’s just being there, holding his hand, smiling. He does his best to communicate back.”
Chris’ path to palliative care is deeply personal. His mother received palliative support before her death in 2017, and a volunteer was at her side in her final moments.
“That was a wonderful gift to our family,” he recalls. “I think that’s partly why I got into palliative care.”
A former chaplaincy leader at Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School for nearly 25 years, Chris retired in 2019 and began volunteering with Providence Care in late 2023. His Catholic faith and lifelong commitment to pastoral ministry continue to guide him.
“One of the main reasons I volunteer comes both from my family upbringing and from my Catholic faith,” he says, referencing the Bible’s call to care for the sick and vulnerable. “That teaching has always been a major motivator for me.”
When asked what he would say to someone considering honouring a caregiver through the UHKF program, his answer is immediate: “In two words — do it.”
For Chris, the award is a tribute to the entire health-care team (that includes doctors, nurses, housekeepers, therapists and fellow volunteers) who all work together to ensure that compassion for patients is always at the forefront.