Who Are We?

Our story starts with the three of us working together in a Hospice. We recognized in each other the commitment that we each had to our residents (patients) and their families. We watched each other advocate for our residents, and consistently go above and beyond. Whether that meant providing excellent clinical care or tending to the vulnerable emotions that accompany death, we walked alongside our residents every step of the way. This common approach drew us together. From this, Stepping Stones Palliative Concierge Services was born. We strive to provide the highest level of palliative care, and truly meet people where they are on their journey.

Our highly experienced and specialized team consists of two palliative nurses and a palliative physician. Combined, we have more than 50 years of palliative experience. We have provided palliative care in various settings, including hospitals, in the community (patient's home setting), long-term and complex care, and in hospices. We are skilled in providing excellent clinical care and in guiding our clients through the difficult emotions and psychological turbulence that accompany the journey that is dying.

You will not find a team that is better equipped to guide you to a gentle landing at the end of your loved one’s life or your own personal journey of dying.

Kaitlyn Baker - RPN, CAPCE, End of Life Doula

I became a nurse because I wanted to help people, I wanted to connect with people and support them through their hardest days. When I was in nursing school, I was able to shadow a palliative nurse and everything connected, it reaffirmed why I wanted to be a nurse.

End of life care is a calling for me, it speaks to my heart and is something I have a passion for. There is something incredibly rewarding about being there at the end of someone’s life, a time each of us will experience, the moments and interactions are beautifully vulnerable and genuine. I have been a nurse for 10 years and have palliative care experience in a variety of settings, including complex care and hospice. My passion for palliative care led me to complete my Comprehensive Advanced Palliative Care Education (CAPCE) course and most recently I completed the End of Life Doula course from Douglas College.

This type of work is more than work to me, it is what I wake up to do everyday and lay my head down at night reflecting on how I can be better the next day. We only get one chance at the end of life, like birth, it happens once and I feel extreme gratitude in my heart that I get to be a part of the journey.

Celia Lima - RN, BScN(Hon), BSc, CAPCE

Palliative Care is more than my passion, I believe it is my life's purpose.

When I became a nurse, my goal was to help people. However, I was narrow-minded in what constituted “helping” someone. I thought it meant I had to save their life, or help them return to health. I didn’t see that guiding someone to a gentle and peaceful death was helping them. The more I tried to move towards acute care, the more the Universe resisted me. I finally admitted that I loved end-of-life care, and that I was good at it. Once I embraced my life’s purpose, all resistance fell away.

I have been a nurse for 19 years, 15 have been focused almost exclusively on palliative care. I have worked on a palliative floor in a hospital setting; in the community, first as a Nurse Manager and then as a field nurse; and in a Hospice setting. I have helped thousands of patients and their families navigate this very difficult, often dark, yet sometimes beautiful phase of life. For that is what death is, not an end, but a passage, a walk through the gateway to the next phase of our existence.

As for my formal education, I first obtained my BSc in Biological Science with a Minor in Biomedical Science from the University of Guelph, and then I completed my BScN(Hon) from Ryerson University. I obtained my CAPCE certification in 2009 and have been loving what I do ever since.

Dr. Peter Spadafora MD MSc CCFP(PC)

I have been involved in the provision of Palliative Care since my days as a Physician Resident over 25 years ago. It was in my second year of Residency when I first encountered a patient with cancer receiving Palliative Care. It was during this clinical experience that I began to understand the complexities and importance of the End of Life journey as it pertained to the management of physical symptoms. However, it became clear that the emotional and spiritual aspects of the journey were equally important.

I was drawn to the intricacy and complexity of guiding someone through the End of Life journey. What soon became obvious was that with patience, compassion and communication, the burden of the dying process could be somewhat alleviated. I spent the ensuing years honing my skill set. To this end, I have provided palliative care in various care environments ranging from acute care (hospital inpatient palliative consultation) and community (residential hospice and visiting patients in their homes). I have held the position of Secretary/Treasurer for the Section of Palliative Medicine at the Ontario Medical Association. Currently, I am Medical Director at the local residential hospice.