Joyce Hilton

We are touched that Joyce is the ‘Remembered Honored Hero’ for Light the Night Vancouver. It is our wish that Joyce’s story, her life, rich in experience and family, provide solace, inspiration and comfort to others who carry a gold lantern in memory of their loved ones who have passed. In Joyce’s memory and honor our family have been providing support to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society of Canada so that one day, we can live in a blood cancer free future so no one need ever bear the weight of a blood cancer diagnosis.

Born in Markstay, Ontario on September 6, 1942 to Loretta and Jack O’Neil, Joyce was blessed with younger siblings, Peggy (deceased 2015), Retta, and Jimmy. She attended the one room Skead Elementary Schoolhouse to grade 8, often requested by the school teacher to assist fellow peers. She then attended Nickel Belt Secondary School in Sudbury, followed by the Registered Nursing program at the Marymount School of Nursing, where she achieved advanced training in Maternity Nursing.

In 1965, she ventured outside her family’s traditional geographic zone, bought a ticket on the CPR to Vancouver, arriving at the foot of Granville St. with neither employment nor accommodation. The walk up Burrard St. to St. Paul’s Hospital, led to an offer of an immediate position in their Maternity Case Room. That same year a young fellow from Queen’s Meds 65, during his Rotating Internship through Obstetrics at St. Paul’s, was smitten by this bright, beautiful girl. He boldly enticed her to go for a ride in his old 356 Porsche coupe, across the Lion’s Gate bridge, and thus began 57 years of love and partnership and wonderful adventure.

Our first adventure involved this United Church boy courting a good Roman Catholic girl…we were married in the newly established Ecumenical Church in Lumby by the Rev. Doug Hodgkinson… and the connected family members were more or less happy! There may have been some surprised that almost six decades later this union was still as strong as ever! Soon thereafter arrived Suzi, and then Kap. The Family Practice years in Vernon were marked by fine friendships, sailing, fly fishing, and skiing on ‘the Star’. It was not an easy decision to pull up stakes and move to Seattle for five years of specialty training in Anesthesiology and Internal Medicine… we were again blessed with the arrival of our son, Sandy.

We were invited in 1973 to settle in the lovely Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, where we have enjoyed now 50 years of work and good living. We adopted 5 year old Russell (deceased 2019) and his 2 year old sister Carol Anne…from the Hesquiat Band, to complete our family.

Now in 2023, we have nine wonderful grandkids which we both love to bits…Jayne, Margo, Graeme, Rosie, Riley, Abi, Micah, Nick and Cecelia.

Joyce could well have taught a course in what was formally known as Home Economics… with lessons in the sewing room, projects coming from the knitting basket, in the kitchen—an accomplished cook and homemaker, and a welcome lap for bruised bodies and egos. Cribbage with the grandkids always brought rollicking laughter, particularly when someone had the cards to do the unthinkable to Grandma! She loved her many companion cats and dogs, many of them rescue, or adopted service dogs, and often requiring her nursing talents.

We travelled the world from Bonavista to Bergen, from Tasmania to Tantobie, from Carcasonne to Capadoccia, from Dingle to the Dordogne, from Akaroa to Antigonish, from Kamuela to Krakow, from Pienza to Penzance… but we always came back to our “Summercamp” in Saltair, with thanks for the safe harbour we call home. Joyce was a major Philanthropist and two of her favourite beneficiaries were the Chemainus Theatre and Dog Guides Canada.

In 2010 on routine blood count Joyce was found to have a platelet count of close to one million. (3 times the upper limit of normal), Bone marrow revealed Essential Thrombocythemia. Her hematologist placed her on Hydroxyurea p.o. which was generally effective in controlling her platelet count over 13 years… her only adverse effect being hypersensitivity to sunlight. Joyce had blood counts done monthly, and the dose of her medication adjusted as required. She lived a very active life, with golf, friends, international travel and taking pride in the accomplishments of her beloved family.

All was stable until late September 2023 when she suddenly developed marked fatigue fever, malaise and weakness… she was seen urgently by her hematologist, a repeat Bone marrow examination revealing that she had transformed into Acute Erythroid Leukemia with 60 to 70% blast cells present. Joyce was admitted to the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria… over the Thanksgiving weekend… where she was febrile and pancytopenic. She had exemplary care in the clinical teaching unit… in balancing the choice of aggressive chemotherapy or supportive care compassionately discussed by her consultants… her expressed wish was to live as long as possible with no worsening of the multiple symptoms she was experiencing. Less than two weeks later she succumbed to her Leukemia… was lucid until the very end and able to hold her family close.