Imagine being in hospital and none of your friends or family lived close enough to visit.

What are Well Wishes?

For a number of years the Volunteer Resources Department has been operating an email service called Well Wishes.  It enables patient’s friends, family or others to send emails of encouragement to them at VGH, UBCHospital, George Pearson Centre and GF Strong.  Even if an in-person visit is not possible a virtual visit can be sent at anytime.

Emails are printed Monday to Saturday on special paper, sealed and hand-delivered by a volunteer on the same day to the patient’s bedside.

When needed, the volunteer can read the email aloud for the patient.  And, the patient keeps the message so that it can be read and re-read as often as desired.

Incredibly popular, Volunteer Resources delivered nearly 1,000 messages to patients last year.

Often messages include photos of grandchildren or special family events.  Sometimes they include jokes and cartoons, shared memories from the past and plans for the future.  Some have even linked patients with long lost friends and relatives.

Help spread the word

Well Wishes is available to friends and family everywhere.  Help spread the word by sharing this information widely.

Well Wishes can be sent to wellwishesva@vch.ca