Hospice Yukon & the Yukon Quest

Posted On January 27, 2009

This year, for the first time in several years, I’ll be home for the start of the Yukon Quest on February 14th so Cathy and I can both go to it (oh yeah, I’ll be home for Valentine’s Day too 🙂 ). In this year’s Quest, my friend Michelle Phillips is again doing a fundraiser for Hospice Yukon – this year she’ll be carrying 100 Feelie Hearts. What are Feelie Hearts? Well, …

Feelie Hearts began with a grieving four year old girl whose mother had died. She was given a small, stuffed fabric heart to carry with her, understanding the soft heart neatly tucked in her pocket was proof of her mother’s existence and love for her. It gave her permission to remember and to grieve her loss which was far too vast for words.

The Feelie Heart story has traveled to Hospices around the world, comforting dying people and those who love them. Now 100 Feelie Hearts will travel the 1000 mile Yukon Quest Trail in Michelle’s sled bag. The power of these small, lopsided, fuzzy hearts is in the tangible way they remind us to handle our own hearts carefully, to remember that love is never far away and compassion and understanding are readily available.

They may be purchased from Hospice Yukon for a tax deductible donation of $100 or more and will be sent out following the race with a copy of Michelle’s race journal, the Feelie Heart story, and a team photograph. Purchase your very own Feelie Heart or one for someone you love!

Hospice Yukon Society
409 Jarvis Street, Whitehorse, YT Y1A 2H4
Open Monday to Friday, 11:30 to 3:00 pm
Phone: (867) 667-7429
Email: info@hospiceyukon.net

On January 31st at the Visitor Information Centre in downtown Whitehorse, Hospice Yukon will be hosting a showing of the documentary film Dog Gone Addiction, about female mushers in the Quest, which features Michelle’s friend and fellow Quest musher, Agata Francza, who died of cancer in 2006 and was the inspiration behind Michelle’s Hospice fundraisers. Michelle will be at the event, with donations being accepted there for her Feelie Heart campaign.

Below, Michelle is seen with her beloved leader Taz, who died this spring. Taz’s ashes will be spread along the Quest trail this year.