That’s a Wrap! 2025 Dryden Regional Palliative Care Conference

Helen & Dr. Sammy Winemaker

Wow—what an incredible day! The 2025 Dryden Regional Palliative Care Conference is officially in the books, and we’re still buzzing from the energy, insight, and community spirit that filled the room.

I couldn’t be more proud of our amazing planning team—Heather Fukushima, Shayna Gamble, Keri Stemkoski, and Charlene Everett. Together, we formed the focus group behind this event, and what a joy it was to see it come to life.

The Committee

A huge shout-out to our community for showing up with open hearts and minds, ready to start those essential conversations about planning for the rest of our lives. Your presence proves just how ready we are to shift the culture around care, aging, and end-of-life planning.

The Dryden Regional Training and Cultural Centre was the perfect venue. The staff were fantastic, the lunch was delicious, and we’re incredibly lucky to have such a beautiful space in our town.

We’re beyond grateful to our amazing lineup of speakers. Thank you to Brenda Bell, Meghan Winters, Kim Ramsbottom (from Thunder Bay), Dr. S. Viherjoki, and of course, Dr. Sammy Winemaker—who traveled all the way from Hamilton, Ontario—to share such heartfelt and valuable wisdom.

A heartfelt thank you to all the local vendors and community agencies who set up booths.

Your presence added so much value to the day—sharing resources, support, and services that help make our community stronger and more connected. We appreciate the time, care, and knowledge you brought to the event.

On a personal note, one of the highlights of my week was picking Dr. Sammy up at the airport in Winnipeg and driving her to and from Dryden. We had incredible conversations about the real-life challenges so many of us face, and I even got to show her a glimpse of our beautiful region. Having listened to her podcast The Waiting Room Revolution for so long, it was truly surreal—and so inspiring—to chat in person with someone I’ve admired from afar. Let’s just say this was my kind of celebrity moment!

If you haven’t already, I highly recommend checking out The Waiting Room Revolution podcast and her book, Hope for the Best, Plan for the Rest. You’ll find them both on their WEBSITE—and they’re packed with guidance we all need.

Our mission is to keep this momentum going. We want to continue sharing tools, resources, and conversations so that when you or someone you love is walking through illness, you won’t feel lost. Being proactive—not reactive—can make all the difference.

Thank you again to everyone who made this day so powerful.

Helen's Booth at the Conference