Photo courtesy of Tennessee Hospice Organization
This week I think it's time we looked at supporting an organization that has been there for most of our families at one time or another: Hospice. The Hospice organizations around the country do some of the most beautiful work in healthcare. They make everyone as comfortable as possible in their last months, weeks, or days - and give their patients as much dignity and respect as they deserve. I have experienced family losses many times with Hospice's presence and I volunteered with the local Hospice while I was in high school. This is an organization that not only cares for the patient, but the entire family. The nurses are as caring and sweet as you could ever imagine, and grief counseling is offered for each family to help them through their grieving for a over a year after the loss. Hospice Houses offer a wonderful location to stay for patients that cannot or do not wish to live out their days at home, still giving all members of the family the familiar comforts of a home whenever possible.
Hospice relies on donations (linked to our local Hospice in Cleveland) to continually offer their services to any qualifying patient regardless of their situation or ability to pay. This is a great kindness when you consider the monumental costs of aging, painkillers - medications in general, and most chronic or incurable conditions. Not to mention the numerous services that Hospice workers provide directly to the families of those in their care.
In the field of cinema, there have been some wonderful films that teach us about valuing life for its temporality while showing the beauty that is the succinct existence of a human life. One of my very favorite films does just that in a beautifully, utterly magical way - and that film is Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. I won't tell you anything about the story, though I will share this one quote that illustrates a piece of why I love the film so much. Before I share that though - let's try to remember to support those who support us in our times of greatest needs, alright? They more than deserve it.
Hospice relies on donations (linked to our local Hospice in Cleveland) to continually offer their services to any qualifying patient regardless of their situation or ability to pay. This is a great kindness when you consider the monumental costs of aging, painkillers - medications in general, and most chronic or incurable conditions. Not to mention the numerous services that Hospice workers provide directly to the families of those in their care.
In the field of cinema, there have been some wonderful films that teach us about valuing life for its temporality while showing the beauty that is the succinct existence of a human life. One of my very favorite films does just that in a beautifully, utterly magical way - and that film is Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. I won't tell you anything about the story, though I will share this one quote that illustrates a piece of why I love the film so much. Before I share that though - let's try to remember to support those who support us in our times of greatest needs, alright? They more than deserve it.
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