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OUR STORY
Born from love
and loss.
Its founder, Renee Moor, a Buddhism-based psychotherapist, meditation teacher and end-of-life doula, knows the terrain of grief from the inside. Walking through the deaths of both her father and her husband, she found something unexpected alongside the pain: the healing power of mindfulness and true, compassionate presence. She also found the gaps.
Renee feels that we, as a culture, treat death as a medical event to manage,
rather than a sacred passage to be honoured.
Seeing what was missing, Renee opened this organization with strong support from her friends and family. Journey Home Support exists to offer the emotional, mental and practical care that helps people meet dying not as something to simply survive, but as an experience that can be held with peace, meaning and even beauty, and that no financial barriers will prevent empowered deaths.
Dying is not separate from living. It is part of the same journey.
Our intention is simple, and it is everything: to help create peaceful, meaningful memories,
in life and in death.
OUR GOVERNANCE
I recently retired as the Director of Ontario Works in Hamilton. I was fortunate to have a fulfilling 35-year career in various social services roles.
My philosophy has always been to take a person-centred approach to supporting people, and I am honoured to bring my experience and knowledge to Journey Home Support.
Bonnie Frenette
Chair of Board
I am a Palliative Care Physician and Assistant Clinical Professor at McMaster University. I have been honoured to care for patients and families with life-limiting illnesses and teach the next generation of physicians about compassionate care.
My goal is to help demedicalize and demystify death and dying, and help all people with serious illness receive the support that they need in their communities.
Dr. Alexandra Farag
Director
I work at McMaster University, where my career has focused on aging research and organizational management with the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), Canada’s premier platform for aging research, and the McMaster Institute for Research on Aging (MIRA).
I am inspired by the life stories of older adults and what matters most: meaning, connection, and shared experiences. I am honoured to support Journey Home’s mission.
Dr. Ine Wauben
Director
My background includes working with young children at the YMCA, radio broadcasting, and leading a dedicated team of fraud and payments analysts for a travel-focused tech company.
I have developed the skills to communicate effectively with anyone about any topic, while also considering their concerns and needs to create a tailored plan of action.
Tina Burgess
Director
Since 2014, I’ve had the privilege of working with families through every stage of life, guiding them through the often overwhelming world of real estate with clarity, strategy, and care at each phase.
I'm proud to support Journey Home and its mission to provide compassionate education and guidance for those navigating end-of-life transitions. Just as I aim to bring peace of mind to my real estate clients, I believe in the importance of creating dignity and support for all of life’s transitions.
James Maggs
Director
With over 20 years of experience in healthcare, research, and organizational leadership to the Journey Home Support board, including my role as Executive Director of The Research Institute of St. Joe's Hamilton and co-founder and CEO of McMaster HealthLabs. I'm currently completing a Master of Counselling Psychology, drawn to supporting people through grief and life's most difficult moments, and I believe deeply in the right to approach the end of life with dignity, kindness, and respect.
I joined Journey Home to help foster compassionate conversations and support for those approaching the end of life, and for those who walk alongside them.
Gail Martin
Director
Susan Traxel
Director
I'm co-founder of Story House Ideas, a communications and brand agency, where I work across strategy, storytelling, and editorial. My background includes significant time in book publishing, and today I work primarily with organizations in health, science, philanthropy, and social impact.
I joined Journey Home Support because I believe in its vision for reimagining what community-based end-of-life support can look like. Death isn't a bad word; it's something we should be able to talk about openly and plan for. The conversations we have around end-of-life care matter: they can give people and families the information, support, and confidence to make choices that reflect what matters to them. My own experiences with serious illness, loss, and caregiving are a big part of why this work matters so much to me.
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I have over 20 years of administrative experience. During this time, I studied Thanatology as an administrator and recently completed my master's in eco-psychotherapy. Joureny Home Support's mission and vision for the sanctuary will change how we experience death and dying by reclaiming it as a life event that reflects the cycle of nature and life itself.
Jodi Harrison
Secretary
Join Our Board
Journey Home Support is being built from the ground up, and that means the people who join us now don't just support the vision. They shape it.
We're looking for mature, mission-driven people ready to help lead real change in how our community meets illness, dying, and grief. If you believe death deserves dignity, and that Hamilton deserves to be the place that proves it, there's a seat at this table for you.
This is early. This is real work. And it's a chance to leave your own imprint on something first of its kind.
Interested in learning more about the board?
OUR TEAM
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Renee Moor
Founder &
Executive Director
My life’s work has been rooted in service, healing, and transformation; as a 20-year Behaviour Therapist for children with autism, a Buddhism-based Psychotherapist, a yoga and meditation teacher, and a certified death doula, I am deeply committed to supporting others through life’s most profound transitions. I find joy in helping people cultivate peace within themselves and in their relationships with the world around them.
When we meet life with compassion and awareness, even the most difficult moments can be pathways to love. I founded Journey Home Support to offer that possibility, helping others find peace in the face of change and ensuring that no one has to navigate life or death alone.
As an IT professional with a career spent leading large, dynamic teams and projects, from software design work with the Provincial Government to the technology behind the Pan Am Games. I enjoy leading teams and working through complex, high-pressure situations to find solutions.
Managing the Second Journey Thrift Store after losing both my father and my father-in-law, that experience changed how I see this work. Every item that comes through our doors carries a story: it reflects a person and a life lived. I love that our community has a place to bring their loved ones' belongings, knowing those items are going back out to support other families.
Chantel Boyd
Store Manager
The Community Coordinator is the connective thread between Journey Home Support and the people it serves. This role builds and nurtures relationships across the community, welcoming individuals and families into our programs like Legacy Circles and Peace of Mind Projects, and guiding them through what to expect at every step.
At its heart, this role is about presence: meeting people where they are, answering their questions with warmth and clarity, and helping create the conditions for connection, belonging, and the honest conversation Journey Home Support was built around.
Cheryl Kennedy
Community
Coordinator
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
I am a Registered Psychotherapist (RP) and the founder of True Health Therapy, a wellness clinic in Hamilton focused on integrative mental health and mind-body healing. My clinical work is grounded in cognitive and behavioural therapy, mindfulness, trauma-informed care, somatic therapies, and a deep respect for the wisdom of many states of consciousness.
It is an honour to support Journey Home Support's vision of restoring dignity, meaning, and empowerment to the end-of-life experience.
Allen Tedjo
I have been a registered social worker for the past 36 years, with experience both in community and healthcare settings. As a leader in health and social services, I bring a deep commitment to person- and family-centred care and advocacy for vulnerable and equity-deserving groups.
I believe every person deserves the right to live and die with dignity. It is with deep respect and compassion that I support Journey Home Sanctuary in its mission to establish a non-medical, community-based space where families and loved ones can be with peace and meaningful memories at the end of life.
Lori Lawson
As an Advisor, I'm passionate about helping people make informed choices to build savings and help protect assets. With 15 years of experience as a Financial Planner, I understand the role I play in clients' lives. My valuable advice is meant to provide clarity and insight towards your financial future.
Working with Journey Home Support enables our community members to receive financial planning education for end-of-life care, empowering them to make informed decisions for themselves and their loved ones.