A Big Success!

The 1st Annual Hunt for Hospice was a big success!  Thanks to everyone who made it possible!!

For pictures you can view and purchase, visit to our photographer's website http://www.jmsimaging.com/Events/Hunt-for-Hospice . 

Love Facebook? Win a Prize...

If you are coming to Hunt for Hospice tomorrow, go to the Hunt for Hospice Facebook Wall and write that you are coming.  Then post "I am going to Hunt for Hospice tomorrow.  Are you?" as your status and you will be entered into a drawing for a prize!!  Thanks you all so much for helping us to get the word out!!

Prizes, Prizes, Prizes...

Okay, so if any of you are on the fence about coming to Hunt for Hospice tomorrow, check this out, a complete (for now - we may get a few more) list of the prizes up for grabs!!

·         East West Martial Arts – Free Birthday Party- $175 value

·         Chuck E Cheese - 1 Large 2-topping Pizza, 30 Tokens & 4 Drinks

·         Monkey Joe’s #1: 2 Free Jump Passes

·         Monkey Joe’s #2: 2 Free Jump Passes

·         Plex Ice Skating Passes #1 (Set of 5)

·         Plex Ice Skating Passes #2 (Set of 5)

·         Plex Ice Skating Passes #3 (Set of 5)

·         Plex Gift Certificate for FREE Gold Level Birthday Party - $225 value!

·         Great American Cookies: Free 16in Cookie Cake

·         My Gym: 4 Free weeks of Classes & Free Play - $68 value

·         Frankie’s Fun Park $25 Gift Card

·         Sylvan Learning Center Gift Basket with $175 Gift Certificate

·         Learning Express Gift #1 (Rubber Band Gun & $15 Gift Card)

·         Learning Express Gift #2 (Baby China Set)

·         Learning Express Gift #3 (2 Cow Books)

·         Paddle Ball Game

·         Wipe Off Learning Cards

·         Phonics Word Builders Write and Wipe

·         6 pk of Lizards

·         Butterfly Bank

·         Matchbox Cars

·         13 Candy Cups

WOW!  And we also are having a raffle for grown-up prizes, too!  Check it out:

• Liberty Tap Room - $25 Gift Certificate (Also good at TBonz Gill & Grill, Rioz Brazilian Steakhouse, Pearlz Oyster Bar, Liberty Steakhouse & Brewery, Kaminsky Most Excellent Café, & Flying Fish Public Market & Grill!)
• Thirsty Fellow Pizzeria & Pub - $25 Gift Certificate
• Longhorn Steakhouse - $50 in Gift Cards
• Motor Suppply Co. Bistro - $25 Gift Certificate
• Matt Corbin Music - Gift Certificate for 3 Hours Free Musical Entertainment for Private Party, Corporate Event, etc

If you are planning on coming to Hunt for Hospice tomorrow, give us a shout out on the Hunt for Hospice Facebook page!  Everyone who does will go into a drawing for a prize!! Pass the word!! Bring a friend!!  See you tomorrow!

Now, we have prizes for parents at Hunt for Hospice!!

I am so excited to announce that parents have even more reasons to bring their kids out to "Hunt for Hospice" this Saturday - we now have prizes for GROWN-UPS!!  Check out all these awesome goodies you can win...

$50 in gift cards!  www.LongHornSteakhouse.com

$25 Gift Certificate for dinner
www.motorsupplycobistro.com

$25 Gift Certificate
www.thirstyfellow.com

$25 Gift Certificate
www.libertytaproom.com


Sounds like somebody's getting a date night!!!  Pass the word on to all your friends with kids!!  COME TO HUNT FOR HOSPICE!!

Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter & ...Hospice?

Today is Good Friday and Easter weekend is upon us.  Last night I attended the Maundy Thursday service at my church and  I have to say that while I've celebrated Easter my whole life, this concept of Maundy Thursday was a bit of a mystery to me.  First of all, what in the world does "Maundy" mean and what in the world does it have to do with Easter?  And you're probably wondering, what does it have to do with hospice?  Well, if you'll give me a few moments of your time, I'll share what I learned and how it seemed to tie in perfectly with the mission of hospice. 

 

Thanks to Pastor Steve, I now know that "Maundy" is actually short for a Latin word - mandatum - meaning mandate, or command.  It refers to the mandate that Jesus gave his disciples as they shared their last meal together, "This is my commandment:  Love each other in the same way that I have loved you."  (John 15:12) When their time together was limited, and He had only a few moments to share His final message, He spoke of love - not only love, but the same kind of love that He showed and lived.  Some of you may not be aware that right before this "maundy" moment, Jesus went around the room and demonstrated love in action by performing the most basic and humble of tasks, washing the feet of His friends.  This spoke to me because for me to touch someone's feet, I have to REALLY love them!  

So, how does this relate to hospice and the mission that the "Hunt for Hospice" is supporting?   Well, one of the most basic ways we receive and show love starts at birth, right?  From the time we are born, we want to be held.  I guess it's in our DNA as people that holding = love because studies have shown that if we aren't held, it greatly impairs our emotional and even physical development.  I know when my daughter Cassidy was a toddler she would lift up her arms and say, "Hold you, Mama.  Hold you."  How I loved those times!  It makes me think of a song I sung as a little girl, “He's Got The Whole World In His Hands".  It's comforting to be held and feel like someone has "got you", so to speak, especially when things are tough.  And that's exactly what hospice does. 

There's no doubt about it.  The end of life is one of the toughest times we can experience, whether the life of a loved one, or even our own.  When patients reach a point in their battle with an illness where they decide, "I want to focus on living life as best I can with those I love, for whatever time I can," hospice comes in and says to everyone involved, "We've got you."  Hospice helps to lovingly “hold up” the patient and family with pretty much every aspect of life- physical, emotional, and spiritual.  We do the medical things like helping manage pain and keeping the patient comfortable, of course, but we also do basic things like helping with personal care and even helping out around the house!  We "hold" the patient and family by helping with all the overwhelming details and "what happens next" questions and offer spiritual and emotional support for everyone involved, even long after the patient has passed. 

What the Compassionate Care Hospice Foundation (the charity beneficiaries of "Hunt for Hospice") does that is so special and beyond what a hospice company can do is to ease the financial strain that this type of illness so often brings.  CCHF has story after story of lives that have been touched and changed.  I encourage you to read some of my past posts that talk more about it or to check out www.CompassionateCareHospiceFoundation.com .

But the only way they can help these families in this way, is with the help of donations and fundraisers like "Hunt for Hospice".  They aren't bringing in money any other way.  As you share the Easter weekend with your family, please take some time to reflect upon the ways hospice and specifically CCHF shows love and care to those who really need it and consider donating and/or coming out next weekend to "Hunt for Hospice".

Meet Abigail and Cookie!

Okay, so at first I was bummed that we are having to postpone "Hunt for Hospice" because of the crazy killer storm blowing into Columbia, but now I am so excited!  I think it's going to be even better because the Easter Bunny promised he would save all his best eggs and prizes for us to hunt on April 30th!  And also because... the Easter Bunny's two adorable bunny friends will be joining us that day as well!  When you come out to Hunt for Hospice on April 30th, you can meet Abigail and Cookie and get your picture made with them, too! 
See how cute they are?  Don't you want to hold 'em?  I know I do!! 

Hunt for Hospice has a NEW DATE!!

A big, bad storm is blowing into the Midlands this weekend so we are bumping our awesome event to Saturday, April 30.  Same time, same place!  Yes, we know this will be after Easter, but we talked to the Easter Bunny this morning and he promised he will put away the very best eggs he has and save them to bring to the hunt!  Please tell everyone you know so that they don't come to Irmo Park in the rain and they DO come on Saturday, April 30th! 

Only 4 days to go...

I am so excited that Hunt for Hospice is only 4 days away!  We are running around like crazy this week trying to make everything awesome for all ya'll who are coming.  Let me remind everyone that you can pay for your tickets in advance by clicking the link on the right side of blog or you can donate the same way.  If you are definitely planning on attending, please RSVP through this punchbowl link.  That way we can have a better idea of how many kids to expect! 

We have some more amazing prizes that have been donated:
A special thanks to East West Karate in Irmo for donating a FREE birthday party worth $175.  These guys do awesome stuff like afterschool programs, parents night out and more!  They may even be there at the hunt with a demonstration for us... :) Check out their website here. 

Also, Sylvan Learning Center has donated a gift basket that includes a $175 certificate for tutoring!  Check out all that Sylvan has to offer here. 


We are still looking for volunteers to help out at Saturday's event, so if you are interested in helping, please let me know!  You can call me at 803-579-1347. 

Also, I want to thank Mr. Jan, the children's pastor over at East Lake Community Church, for allowing us to borrow their Cotton Candy and Popcorn machines.  They use these every month for concessions at Fam Jam and we really appreciate that they are letting us use them!  If you have never taken your kids to Fam Jam, it's usually the first Saturday of every month and it's AWESOME!  Check out all that East Lake has to offer by visiting their website here. 


Thanks to everyone who is helping out with this amazing event and don't forget to pass the word along to EVERYONE!!

An Incredible Cause...

 The Hunt for Hospice is going to be so great, but what's even greater than the fun we will have, is the cause that we are raising money for!  That's why I decided to blog today about Compassionate Care Hospice Foundation and what they are all about. 

When someone is terminally ill, the bills don't stop.  Facing a terminal illness and having financial difficulty can be overwhelming and adds unbearable stress to an already difficult and heartbreaking situation.  In 2004, Compassionate Care Hospice Foundation (CCHF) was created to collect, manage, and equitably distribute contributions that grateful families and appreciate friends contributed to Compassionate Care Hospice in recognition of the service given to terminally ill loved ones. 

The devestating challenges of terminal illness often reach deeper than the psychological, emotional, and physical complications of a terminal illness...Many times there is a hidden and demoralizing financial impact felt by the loss of employment, or the cost of care.  CCHF focuses on providing basic needs of life first (mortage, rent, food, utilities), and then additional support services and comfort items whenever possible.  These stories are often the ones that touch me the most!

A few stories I heard reccently from the Foundation National Director, Rozie Zappo:
- An 18-yr-old single mom with terminally ill baby was so poor that she and her sick child were sleeping on the floor on coats.  The foundation bought her a crib, sheets, etc so her baby could be more comfortable. 

   - A grandfather's dying wish was to take his grandchildren to see the Phillies play baseball.  The foundation made all the arrangements and paid for tickets, travel, etc and the patient and his family had a wonderful day making memories.  The grandfather died the very next day, but the memories they made will live forever. 

  - A mother was dying and her daughter who lived in Puerto Rico could not afford the trip to the US to care for her.  The foundation took care of all her travel expenses.. 

 

Another cool thing CCHF does is head up COURAGE - a grief and bereavement support group for kids K-12 that offers an opportunity for kids to express their feelings of grief and loss from illness, murder, suicide, divorce, or military deployment, of a loved one.  I plan on devoting an entire blog to talking about COURAGE so stay tuned!!

These are just a few of the ways that Compassionate Care Hospice Foundation makes a difference, and while many hospice companies have a charitable foundation, one thing that really sets CCHF above the rest is that they give to patients from ANY hospice company.  All they have to do is submit a request!  The foundation raises around $500,000 a year for hospice patients and their families.   Here in Columbia, we will be holding quarterly events to benefit CCHF so that we can continue this important aspect of care.  “Hunt for Hospice”, is our first event!  For more information on CCHF, check out www.cchfoundation.net !

I hope this information gets you as excited about "Hunt for Hospice" as I am!  If you can't make it to the hunt, please consider donating by clicking on the link that says "donate" on the right hand side of the blog.   And definitely, please forward the link to this blog to all your family and friends.  With your help, we can make a real difference!

More great prizes to win at Hunt for Hospice!

Hunt for Hospice is just a few weeks away and we are getting some really great prizes from local businesses!  We are so thankful to Plex Indoor Sports of Irmo who are donating 15 Public Skate Passes AND a Gold Birthday Package valued at $225!!  WOW!  Plus, they are coming out to the hunt and bringing some awesome games for the kids to play.  If you have never been to "The Plex" with your family, you should definitely check it out.  They have ice skating, hockey, indoor soccer, an arcade, and a great indoor skate park for those extreme skatebooarders out there.  For more info, check out their website. 

  We also got a $25 gift certifcate from Frankie's Fun Park in Columbia.  Frankie's has mini-golf, laser tag and so many things to do!  It's fun for kids of all ages.  To see all the cool stuff at Frankie's, you can visit their website.  Stay tuned for more exciting news about Hunt for Hospice and don't forget to tell all your friends!

New way to RSVP! Please pass it on!

We now have a punchbowl invitation where guests can go on and RSVP and say how many kids, adults, etc are coming.  Please pass this on to all your friends!!  http://www.punchbowl.com/parties/1919335-hunt-for-hospice 

Mythbusters

I haven't posted in a few days so I thought I'd take this opportunity to do a little hospice education - Mythbusters style! I know before I started working in hospice, I had some really wrong ideas about what hospice was all about.  I'll bet some of you do, too!  I had heard people say before, "Well, it's really bad.  They've called in hospice.  It won't be long now."  In my mind, "calling in hospice" was something that happened only in the last week or two of someone's life.  I had the idea that hospice was kind a grim reaper of sorts.  Boy, was I wrong.  Here are some of the most common myths about hospice and what is really the truth!

Myth: Hospice is a place.Reality: Hospice care usually takes place in the comfort of an individual's home, but can be provided in any environment in which a person lives, including a nursing home, assisted living or residential care facility.

Myth: Patients can only receive hospice care for a limited amount of time.Reality: The Medicare benefit, and most private insurance, pays for hospice care as long as the patient continues to meets the criteria necessary. Patients may come on and off hospice care, and re-enroll in hospice care, as needed.

Myth: Hospice is just for the patient.Reality: Hospice focuses on comfort, dignity, and emotional support. The quality of life for the patient, and also family members and other caregivers, is the highest priority.

Myth: A physician decides whether a patient should receive hospice care and which agency should provide that care.
Reality: The role of the physician is to recommend care, whether hospice or traditional curative care. It is the patient's right and decision to determine when hospice is appropriate and which program suits his or her needs.

Myth: Hospice is only for cancer patients.
Reality: A large number of hospice patients have congestive heart failure, Alzheimer's disease or dementia, chronic lung disease, or other conditions.

Myth: Once a patient elects hospice, he or she can no longer receive care from the primary care physician.
Reality: Hospice reinforces the patient-primary physician relationship by advocating either office or home visits, according to the physician preference. Hospices work closely with the primary physician and consider the continuation of the patient-physician relationship to be of the highest priority.

Myth: Once a patient elects hospice care, he or she cannot return to traditional medical treatment.
Reality: Patients always have the right to reinstate traditional care at any time, for any reason. If a patient's condition improves or the disease goes into remission, he or she can be discharged from a hospice and return to aggressive, curative measures, if so desired. If a discharged patient wants to return to hospice care, Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurance companies and HMOs will allow readmission.

Myth: Hospice Patients on dialysis cannot be on hospice.
Reality: Dialysis patients can be on hospice: however there must be a terminal diagnosis other than ESRD. 

Myth: Hospice means giving up hope.
Reality: When faced with a terminal illness, many patients and family members tend to dwell on the imminent loss of life rather than on making the most of the life that remains. Hospice helps patients reclaim the spirit of life. It helps them understand that even though death can lead to sadness, anger, and pain, it can also lead to opportunities for reminiscence, laughter, reunion, and hope.

That's all for today!  I hope we'll see you all soon at the Hunt for Hospice!

Check out the fun!

 I am so excited about all the activities and prizes we are lining up for Hunt for Hospice!   It's only 1 month away from today.  See these pics of the great bounce house and super slide we will have!  Thanks to Jumperee for giving us such a great deal!   

We are also getting some great donations for prizes for all our games!  Just today Eric over at Chuck E Cheese donated a certificate good for a free pizza, 30 tokens and 4 free drinks

and...

 the awesome folks over at My Gym in Lexington donated 4 weeks of free classes!    

Make sure you check out their websites and let them know how much we appreciate them donating for such a great cause!  Check back often for all the details on all that's going on at the Hunt for Hospice!

You can now follow us on Twitter!

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Who is Compassionate Care Hospice?

   So many of you may be wondering - just who or what is this Compassionate Care Hospice that is organizing the Hunt for Hospice? That's why I've decided to devote today's blog to telling you just that!

Compassionate Care Hospice is a CHAP accredited, community based hospice organization committed to providing the highest quality end of life care to patients, their families, and close friends. Although CCH is new to the midlands, we are certainly not new - we currently care for over 3000 patients and their families in 19 different states!
Raising the bar…
At Compassionate Care Hospice our standard of care is anything but…“standard.” For the better part of two decades, we have gone further than the status quo demands. In today’s market, more and more health care companies are looking to expand into multiple areas of medical service, but Compassionate Care Hospice doesn’t try to be all things to all people. Instead, we channel our considerable experience, energies and resources into advancing industry standards of care and pushing beyond the boundaries of traditional hospice medicine. Our commitment to excellence sets the local community’s expectations for hospice services very high, thus motivating all area providers to both do better and be better than before. I will share more about some of the innovations in hospice care that CCH has pioneered in a future blog, but you can read more about us at www.cchnet.net.

The Holistic Approach…
At Compassionate Care Hospice we believe in treating the whole patient - mind, body and spirit. We reach beyond a medical model and provide holistic therapy treatments for both patients and their loved ones. I'll devote a later blog to sharing more about those!

Hopefully, that has got your interest up a bit. Stay tuned for more info and don't forget to RVSP for the 1st annual Hunt for Hospice!

Egg Hunting for a good cause!

     I am so excited about the 1st annual "Hunt for Hospice"!  It's coming up on Saturday, April 16 from 10am-12pm at the Irmo Town Park.  Spring is upon us and there's no better way to enjoy it than with an Easter Egg Hunt and festival.  That's why those of us over at Compassionate Care Hospice decided to organize an AWESOME ONE for our spring fundraiser for the Compassionate Care Hospice Foundation.  We have a beautiful location, graciously provided by the town of Irmo, and so many fun and exciting activities planned.  There will be 3 egg hunts going on, the "Baby Bunnies" hunt for children 3 and under, the "Hoppy Hunters" hunt for children 4-6, and the "Egg-cellent Elementary" hunt for children 7-11.  There will be a multitude of games and activities like inflatibles, egg races and more!  We are currently in the process of getting donations from the community businesses for prizes for the games.  If you would like to donate something, just let me know!  We are also very excited to announce that we will also have a photographer there to take Spring family pictures and pictures with the Easter bunny!!  Stay tuned for more posts about the "Hunt for Hospice" as well as information about the wonderful Compassionate Care Hospice Foundation.  Don't forget to mark your calendars - we can't wait to see you there!!