Blog / News / Press
Celebrating National Hospice and Palliative Care Month
Magdalena Stefanek, November 16, 2018
November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month when organizations across the country increase awareness and celebrate the benefits of hospice and palliative care. The theme for 2018, My Hospice. A Program that Works. A Benefit that Matters, was designed around the My Hospice Campaign launched earlier this year by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO).
Hospice is physical, emotional and spiritual support for patients and families living with serious illness. Palliative care offers a compassionate support to patients and families facing the daily challenges of life-limiting illness at any stage of the disease. Rainbow Hospice and Palliative Care helps patients and families to focus on what is important to them, to set goals and celebrate all aspects of life.
As one Rainbow Hospice family member shared, “Knowing you were there for Mom, or on the way there, or making calls to me about her health, was a constant comfort. I never felt like Mom was just another patient. I always felt that Mom was safe and in caring hands. Thank you for caring for her very soul, right up to her last breath. I don’t know how you perform this act of love and acceptance time and time again. You truly are the angels who walk the Earth.”
Throughout the month of November, Rainbow staff will be sharing their personal hospice and palliative care stories as well as how they came to Rainbow as part of mission moments. Along with sharing stories, Blessing of the Hands was offered to affirm the work of Rainbow staff’s hands. A Haiti Mission Drive is being held to collect gently used items for children. Additionally, staff members from Rainbow attended conferences across the country such as the NHPCO Interdisciplinary Conference 2018 in New Orleans, LA and the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) National Seminar 2018 in Orlando, FL. The sharing of spirit, knowledge and support allows Rainbow staff to continue learning and growing together.
