Letter to the Editor: Hospice Thanks Volunteers

Dear Editor:

National Volunteer Week is April 15 – 21, 2012, a time to recognize and celebrate the thousands of men, women and young people who volunteer in communities across the country.  As President and CEO of Hospice of the Chesapeake, I want to honor all those who are dedicated to providing care and support for patients and families in our community who are nearing the end of life’s journey.

Across the country, more than 458,000 trained volunteers provide more than 21 million hours of service to hospice organizations. More than 1.58 million people receive compassionate care from hospice every year and hospice volunteers are an integral part of the care team.

Here in our community, more than 500 volunteers work hand in hand with Hospice of the Chesapeake to care for patients, help with outreach, assist in the office, provide fundraising support and so much more.

It’s a mistake to think that hospice is giving up – hospice is about living as fully as possible, even at the end-of- life.  Hospice of the Chesapeake provides care, support and dignity to patients and their families.  Our volunteers are an enormous part of that care.

I encourage others to inquire about volunteering by contacting Hospice of the Chesapeake at www.hospicechesapeake.org or by calling 410-987-2003.

Sincerely,

Michael S. McHale

President and CEO

Hospice of the Chesapeake