When Care Becomes Family: Peter and Heather’s Story
September 15, 2026
Written by Peter’s Wife, Heather
When I look back on the years I shared with my husband, Peter, I remember so many things. Among those memories are also the people who became part of our lives through Community Care.
Peter came to Canada from Holland in 1957 and became a Canadian citizen in 1965. We were married in 1961, and together we built our life in the community.
It was a friend who first introduced me to Community Care. She was a monthly donor and told me about the organization and the services it provided. At the time, I had no idea just how important Community Care would become to Peter and me.
In 2021, when Peter needed kidney dialysis, I arranged for Community Care to provide his transportation three days a week. At first, he had to travel to Peterborough Regional Health Centre for his treatments because there were no available spots in Lindsay.
Three mornings a week, the Community Care van became part of Peter’s routine. When a spot eventually became available closer to home, the van would arrive between 7:00 and 7:15 a.m. to pick him up and would return him home from the hospital around 11:30 a.m.
For me, those rides were about much more than getting Peter from one place to another. They gave me peace of mind knowing that he was being cared for on his journey to and from dialysis.
Once Peter arrived home, I would have his medications and lunch ready for him. Dialysis could leave him exhausted, so after lunch, Peter would sleep for a few hours.
Through it all, Peter’s journey was remarkable. What he has gone through, doctors say it was a miracle.
When I talk about Peter’s Community Care drivers, I get emotional and have tears in my eyes.
The drivers became much more than people who transported Peter to his appointments. Over time, they became like family.
There were small moments of joy along the way, too. Peter loved the song Sugar, Sugar, and it became a favourite among the drivers as well. I remember hearing the drivers singing it to Peter as they pushed his wheelchair.
One driver even kept the song on his phone. On the short ride from the hospital to our home, he would play Sugar, Sugar for Peter.
It was a simple gesture, but it meant something to both of us. It was another reminder that the people caring for Peter knew him, not just as a passenger, but as a person.
And the drivers were there for the little things, too.
One morning, as Peter was getting ready to leave, I noticed that his blood sugar monitor was missing. I suspected that it had fallen underneath our bed, but because of my bad knees, I was unable to get down on the floor to look for it.
With my permission, the Community Care driver went into our room and looked underneath the bed. The monitor was found and retrieved.
For me, moments like that demonstrated the kind of care that went beyond the expected.
Peter passed away on December 17, 2025. But even after his passing, I experienced another moment of kindness from Community Care that I will never forget.
One day, I was outside in my garden when I noticed a Community Care van arriving at a neighbour’s home. The van was bringing my neighbour home from the hospital.
I did not want to interrupt the driver while they were working, so I continued with my day.
A few moments later, there was a knock at my door. It was the Community Care driver. They had stopped to check in on me.
For me, that small gesture said so much.
The relationship that had begun with a ride to dialysis had continued even after Peter was no longer there to make that journey.
It is one of the reasons I continue to support Community Care today. That is why I joined the Community Care’s Luminary Circle as a monthly donor.
If my health were better, I would volunteer my time as another way of giving back. For now, becoming a Monthly Donor with the Luminary Circle is my way of supporting an organization that gave so much to Peter and me.
For me, Community Care is about the people.
Community Care has great people working for them and I think they are fantastic.
Peter’s story is a reminder that transportation can be about so much more than simply getting someone from one place to another. It can mean a familiar face waiting at the door, a favourite song playing on the ride home, a helping hand finding something lost, or a knock on the door simply asking, “How are you doing?”
For Peter and me, those moments became part of our story.
And for me, they are a reason to keep giving back.
Shine Bright With The Luminary Circle
As a Luminary Circle monthly donor, you help ensure Community Care can continue being there for people when they need it most. Make a monthly gift today.