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!