The challenge
The Maritimes is one of the only regions in Canada without access to a children’s hospice—a reality that a group of passionate, smart, and resilient pediatric nurses and doctors at IWK Health are changing. Their goal? Build a standalone home in Halifax dedicated to providing comprehensive palliative care and medical respite for children with life-limiting conditions, as well as offering support to their families.
Maritime Children’s Hospice came to us with a clear mission and a vision in mind, but they needed our help to shape a compelling narrative and visual identity for their organization. This new narrative and visual identity would play a critical role in their upcoming capital campaign and serve as a steppingstone for potential expansion of children’s hospices throughout the Maritimes.
The idea
Through a highly collaborative process with interactive narrative workshops, exercises, and planning sessions, the client was able to see their vision for the Maritime Children’s Hospice come to life. “A place to celebrate life, no matter how short or how long” was the distilled promise of the narrative. It was an emotional moment. The team of pediatric nurses and doctors were one step closer to making their dream of creating a children’s hospice in the Maritimes a reality.
The approved narrative informed the development of a visual identity—an identity that represents the love, support, and community that is at the heart of the hospice. The chosen concept, Cultivating Care, is rooted in the notion, “with love and care we tend the soil.” Using flower imagery and calling to mind the nurturing and dedication needed to help a garden flourish for a season, these blooms are beautiful, regardless of when they stop growing.
The result
While the capital campaign has not yet launched, the newly developed visual identity was met with an extremely positive response from the client and their stakeholders, including a group of parents who have endured the heartbreaking loss of a child. The narrative sets the tone for the organization, ensuring alignment with its values and mission.
We look forward to the upcoming capital campaign, and the promising future that lies ahead for this incredible organization, and the dedicated individuals behind the scenes working to bring it to fruition.
