Since June 2025, Hôpital Montfort has been offering patients and their families a profoundly human initiative in its Intensive Care Unit: the 3 Wishes Program. Originally developed at McMaster University in Hamilton, this program transforms the final moments of life into experiences filled with dignity, comfort, and meaning. Montfort is the first hospital in the region to implement the program, reflecting its commitment to compassionate end-of-life care.
Humanizing Care Until the Very End
The principle is simple, yet its impact is profound. The program honours patients at the end of life by fulfilling personal wishes expressed by the patient or their loved ones. These gestures, sometimes modest but deeply symbolic, create meaningful memories and bring comfort during an impossibly difficult time.
"It's a way to honour the lives of those who are passing," explains Annie Lecompte, an ICU care facilitator at Montfort. "We guide families in finding ways to make these final moments a little gentler and more personal."
Wishes can take many forms:
Playing the patient's favorite song or meaningful music
Organizing a quiet, intimate moment for the family to say goodbye
Creating keepsakes such as handprints, a lock of hair, or a framed heartbeat print
Reading letters, messages, or shared memories aloud at the bedside
Invite a religious representative or spiritual guide to offer a final blessing or ritual
Each gesture is thoughtfully planned, respecting the patient's and family's values, traditions, and beliefs.
A Tangible Impact for Families and Staff
Since its launch, nearly 20 families have taken part in Montfort’s program. The feedback has been profoundly moving, with families describing feelings of peace, gratitude, and unexpected comfort during an intensely emotional time.
Some moments leave an indelible mark. Recently, a nursing team presented a family with a framed printout of their loved one's heartbeat. The gesture moved them so deeply that they expressed the desire to have it tattooed, a permanent symbol of an enduring bond.
Photo caption: A framed print of the patient’s heartbeat line, offered to the family as a keepsake.
For staff, the impact is equally profound. "This program gives new purpose to our work," says Annie. "It allows us to further humanize care and remain present for families, even when medical treatments alone are not enough."
Palliative care nurse Anne Roberts adds: "Patients come and go, and with this initiative, we've found a ritual that helps the team navigate these difficult moments. It allows us to celebrate life, not just witness its end."
In the demanding environment of the ICU, where loss is an inevitable part of the work, the program provides staff with a structured way to process grief and find meaning in their role as caregivers.
Built Through Collaboration
Montfort’s 3 Wishes Program is the result of strong interdisciplinary collaboration. Managers, nurses, social workers, physicians, and research teams worked together to adapt the McMaster model to Montfort’s context.
The program is supported by a research grant that serves two purposes: advancing knowledge of end-of-life care and providing the resources needed to implement the initiative. Each case is carefully recorded in a registry to track the program’s progress. Essential materials, such as frames, blankets, speakers, cards, and symbolic items, are funded through the grant, allowing the team to respond quickly and thoughtfully to each family’s individual needs.
Through this program, Montfort demonstrates that compassion remains at the heart of care, even in the most technical and demanding clinical environments. It is a reminder that medicine is not only about saving lives, but also about honoring them.