Fundraising and raising awareness one step at a time.

Ian Bos made a visit to the Foothills Country Hospice Monday afternoon speaking to guests and shedding light on what hospices provide for a community.

Bos began his journey in the Maritimes and will wrap up his walk across Canada when he finishes in Vancouver.

He's doing the walk in honour of his father after he was placed in palliative care in Nova Scotia and passed away in January.

Bos says the walk is the least he can do.

 "My dad was a very humble man, dedicated to his family and a proud Canadian," he says. "I figured what better way to honour my father then to walk across this country and raise awareness for the people that cared for him at the end of his life."

Bos says hospices are an incredible source of healing to families who have a family member in hospice care.

"It's like another family here," he says. "They really care about you and it's not just managing physical pain but psycho-social support, spiritual support not just for the patient but for the family and I think that's what's so inspiring about these places is that they kind of walk you through the darkest hours and hold a candle up for you."

Bos is hoping to raise $25,000 on his walk and has almost reached his goal, but says raising awareness is his main objective.

"We're just under $20,000 now and I think that number is a little bit higher because we encourage people to donate directly, but the one thing I've learned about this industry is they're very humble people and don't like to toot their own horn and that's what I'm hoping to do is to shine the spotlight on them and have these conversations because sometimes death is a difficult conversation to have."

Bos is expected to conclude his journey Oct. 26.

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