03/08/2026
On International Women’s Day, we celebrate the remarkable women who helped shape hospice palliative care in Ontario and those who continue to evolve the sector. Early leaders such as nurses, physicians, advocates, and community champions brought compassion, courage, and vision to end-of-life care—laying the foundation for the hospice services, volunteer programs, and supports that families rely on today.
Here are a couple of the early champions of hospice palliative care in Ontario:
June Callwood was a renowned Canadian journalist, author, humanitarian, and recipient of the Order of Canada whose work reflected a deep commitment to social justice. A long-time advocate of hospice care, she served as Patron of the HPCO June Callwood Circle of Outstanding Volunteers Award and was its inaugural recipient. Callwood believed strongly in the power of volunteers, a theme reflected in her book Twelve Weeks in Spring, which highlighted the vital role volunteers play in hospice care.
Dr. Dorothy Ley was one of Canada’s earliest champions for quality end-of-life care and a pioneer in the hospice palliative care movement. A physician with a distinctive voice and vision, she advocated for compassionate, person-centred care at a time when the field was still emerging. Throughout her distinguished career, she challenged traditional approaches to medicine and helped advance hospice palliative care across Canada. Dr. Ley remained a passionate and influential advocate until her death in 1994.
Dr. Joan Lesmond was a respected nurse, educator, mentor, and lifelong learner who made significant contributions to hospice palliative care in Ontario. She served on the Hospice Palliative Care Ontario (HPCO) Board of Directors from 2004 to 2011. In recognition of her commitment to lifelong learning, mentorship, and community-based hospice palliative care, HPCO established the Joan Lesmond Scholarship in 2011, now the Dr. Joan Lesmond Bursary program, continuing her legacy of supporting education and leadership in the sector.
Margaret Anderson founded Ian Anderson House, Ontario’s first hospice residence. After her husband Ian died from cancer in 1990, she led a determined community effort to create a compassionate place for end-of-life care. Through advocacy, fundraising, and leadership, she helped open Ian Anderson House in Oakville in 1997. Her vision and dedication helped advance the hospice residence movement in Ontario and improved access to compassionate, community-based hospice palliative care.
