National Hospice Month

Dr Bernice Catherine Harper

and

me.

Dr Bernice Catherine Harper was presented with the

highest of honors last year at the National Hospice Gala, for her lifetime work.

"The Global Vision Award"

for a pioneer, a social worker, an advocate and a woman who has walked the walk and talked the talk for all people for many years.

...

It is important we know and honor the pioneers of Hospice, that we remember them in daily steps taken to do the work of hospice, to keep our eyes straight and our hands clean as we live the mission and vision promised

...

Thank you Dr Harper, Ann Vickery, Mary Labyak, Florence Wald, Jo Magno, Samira Beckwith, Donald Schumacher, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and so many more who have started this thing we call HOSPICE    

It's National HOSPICE MONTH

Dr Bernice Catherine Harper is one of the

grand dames of the hospice world

and a social worker to boot!

She is known as

"the professionals professional", a social worker

and quite a grand lady to be certain.

One of my hero's and I was honored to see

and

be with her at the last

National Hospice Foundation Gala

in Washington DC this year.

We caught up on old times, laughed much

and enjoyed being together talking about

"back in the day".

Back in the day

we served on the "first" task force for access for minorities in hospice, known as

"Cultural Diversity"

with Samira Beckworth who is now the CEO

of

HOPE Hospice in Lee County in Florida!

We visited with Jean Berquest another old friend and Hospice grand dame from "back in the day";

a mover and shaker in DC,

and many others at that grand Gala.

Those founders and those new to Hospice as well.

HOSPICE IS ABOUT LIFE

About caring and the circle of care,

keeping patients and families and those who love in the middle of the circle and all are connected

and oh how the circle has expanded through the years.

From back in the days of

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

with her landmark work on death and dying, her contributions too large to even attempt, her works and her books still so very useful to professionals and to those who are facing death and loss today.

The mission and values of Hospice that began so long ago, still etched in the hearts of so many as they get up each day and serve, minister to those as they live until the moment they die better with the skills and love of Hospice; those who dedicate themselves professionally and the volunteers who give so freely.    

Hospice does that so well.

Across the life span, the seasons of time

and ages

from the little ones to the Elders

across the world

Hospice is available to provide

care, dignity, respect

to their patients

and

those who love them.

President Obama signed a Proclamation this year

declaring

Novemmber

National Hospice Month

and says this: "

All Americans should take comfort in the important work of hospice care, which enables individuals to carry on their lives, in spite of a terminal illness. During this month, let us recognize those who allow the terminally ill to receive comfortable and dignified care."

Hospice

According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization,

"Access to care has improved significantly in the three decades since November has been celebrated as National Hospice Month. 

 Dame Cicely Saunders who started this whole thing off at St Christophers in England and once said,

"Care of the body means nothing without care of the soul",

yes,

HOPSICE!

 

The first White House proclamation honoring hospice month was signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1978. At that time, hospices in the US served several thousand individuals and their family members each year. New data from National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization shows that a record 41.5 percent of people who died in the US – 1.56 million patients with life-limiting illness – were served by the nation’s hospices last year."

There are many who work for hospice behind the scenes, those voices that are there, those who deal with the paper end of things, answer the phones, coordinate the nurses, social workers, chaplains and keep things running smoothly... they know what is going on all the time; they find the volunteers in the middle of the day or night to sit with dying patients or to soothe a troubled family member.

Many are the "pulse" of the team.

All to be valued.

The Volunteers are the "hearts" of Hospice

giving their time, talents, and hearts to step out of self

and

into others.

Leaving their personal problems and agendas in their cars or on the door steps and walking in open for whatever may be, and letting the story of the person they are seeing take center stage; as it should be.

It is after all,

the patient and family journey

not ours.

HOSPICE

steeped in history, the stories are woven into a rich and colorful fabric of compassion and care.

Dr Bernice Catherine Harper has set a high standard

a bar that many need remember

when ministering to those in hospice

and to their peers

with professionalism

with

compassion and kindness always

just as

Josephina Magno

Dr Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Jean Berquest

Samira Beckwith

Mary Labyak

Dame Cicely Saunders

Florence Wald

Balfour Mount

Colin Murray Parkes

Eric J Cassell

Donald Schumacher

Steven O'Connor

and

....

 

Many blessings to

HOSPICES around the world

For you

those who passionately do the work

the volunteers

staff

I give great thanks

and

so

It is good

For more information on

Hospice

or to locate a hospice near you

visit

http://www.nhpco.org/

http://www.nationalhospicefoundation.org/

"That which is to provide light must endure burning"

Victor Frankl

The fire is burning brightly, its embers are hot ~ Sage/Cedar fills the air with

thoughts and prayers on the wind

STOMP

with great gratitude today

As I now prepare to visit and speak to 

GUARDIAN ANGEL HOSPICE

in Lafayette Indiana during this

Hospice month, I am so thrilled to meet and see those doing such great work there.

A hospice that was begun by 

5 women with a vision, mission, and dedication now growing and caring for community ... hospice is about life!

Indiana here I come!

     

Walk In Beauty

That is the

HOPE

in

Healing Heartaches

DRSES

http://www.sherryeshowalter.com/