Rosemary Farrell

Alan’s Place: A Legacy of Hope

“He was just a really amazing person – it’s hard to put into words,” Rosemary Farrell says.
“He was quiet, but had a wicked sense of humour. He chose his words carefully and would become the life of the party, cracking people up with his subtle quips.”

There’s a smile and unmistakable tenderness in Rosemary’s voice when she talks about her husband Alan who, after a long battle with cancer, passed away in December of 2000 at age 35.

For Alan Farrell, family came first. Even facing a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s disease in the fall of 1997, his wife remembers Alan’s only concern was for her and their two sons, 3 year old Thomas and 5 month old Scott.

“Even while he was going through the horrendous chemo, radiation and stem cell transplants, he remained positive and never complained,” Rosemary recalls. “He was still there to support me, even from the hospital. I would bring the kids in to visit and he’d call at the end of the day to make sure we were home safely, ask how I was holding up and then say goodnight to the boys. He was amazing.”

Everywhere he went; Alan made friends and had relationships with everyone in the hospital. “He went out of his way to talk to everybody,” Rosemary remembers. “He let them know he appreciated every thing every person did to help him through his experience and that he was grateful for their support, care and compassion.”

During his treatment, Alan spent a lot of time at The Ottawa Hospital’s General Campus. It was a challenge to entertain two kids in his room or in the bare-bones dayroom. Before his death, Alan asked family and friends to use the money they would have spent on flowers for his funeral to create a special family room in the BMT Unit. That $5,000 started a 10-year legacy known simply as “Alan’s Place.”

Since its opening, countless families have enjoyed this cozy space to watch movies, play games or just spend quiet times together while their loved one is in hospital.

Suzanne Madore, Clinical Manager of 5 West at the General Campus, says it’s an important space in the unit. “It’s a wonderful spot for families to visit, or for patients who need a change of scenery, but can’t leave the unit for health reasons,” she says. “They are so grateful it’s here.”

These patients and families aren’t the only ones benefiting from Alan’s Place. Alan’s sister Barbara Farrell says it offers his family a lot of comfort, too.

“It feels like I’m fulfilling his wishes and doing something for him. Rosemary and I still go to the hospital to replace the games and movies every now and then. Just being there connects me to Alan,” Barbara says quietly. “This has also been a great way to show our children that there are simple ways to make a huge difference in other people’s lives.”

Each year, Alan’s wife and sons, his sister Barbara, his brother David and his mother Jeanne join friends and family for the Ottawa Race Weekend. To date they have raised more than $40,000 to maintain and improve Alan’s Place.“We all participate in different races,” Barbara says.“Then on the Sunday, we have a huge picnic toreconnect with Alan’s friends. It’s an opportunity for us to maintain those relationships.”

Alan’s mother, Jeanne is also moved that Alan’s extended family and friends make a point of coming to Ottawa Race Weekend year after year. “They celebrate his life and raise funds for something Alan believed in so strongly.“People don’t realize until something like cancer hits them what it’s like to live through that experience with someone. Any sense of comfort is appreciated and we’re happy Alan’s Place provides that.”

“We feel we’ve done something to inspire others,” Rosemary adds. “It’s a really positive way for us to honour Alan and give back to The Ottawa Hospital. It’s what he wanted - to make the journey a little easier for those who had to follow us.”