Nichola Patton – Hospice Hero

Halcyon Hospice – Dunwoody, Georgia

A daughter sent us the following email shortly after her father was admitted to Halcyon Hospice:

“My father was admitted to your care for hospice last night. I wanted to just reach out and say that the intake/admission nurse, Nichola Patton, was INCREDIBLE with my family and my father. At the hardest time of our lives, she was able to make us laugh and somehow “enjoy” the process. We all felt like Nichola was part of our family by the time she left. I wanted to thank you for having someone so awesome on your team to start this process. It made the entire process much easier, and my family has a confidence in Halcyon following her visit.”

First impressions do make a huge impact, and Nichola, the first Dunwoody team member to encounter this family, was able to make them feel at ease and even laugh. They felt as if she cared for their father and family. Thank you, Nichola, for being the “face” of our hospice team and for becoming a part of this patient’s family after just one visit. You are our Hospice Hero!

Sadie Whorton – Hospice Hero

Ouachita Regional Hospice – Mena, Arkansas

Sadie Whorton, a registered nurse at Ouachita Regional Hospice in Mena, Ark., is a true advocate for her patients and their families.  Jessica Bigham, a PCR in Mena, receives many compliments about Sadie’s kind spirit and wonderful caring attitude from the facilities and physician offices that she visits regularly.  Recently, the following was posted to Facebook by one of the family members that Sadie encountered:

“Sadie, I just love you. If you ever wonder why your calling was in the field you work in, please remember today. You gave my family hope, comfort, peace, and a will to continue the fight that we could only pray and wish for. Your positive attitude, attention and prompt service caused immediate relief and even joy to him.  Thanks again…”

Most people think that hospice only focuses on death, but more often we really focus on life – helping patients live out their last few months in the best possible way. Thanks, Sadie, for being a bright rainbow for your patients and families and helping them make the most of their limited time. You are our Hospice Hero!

Helen Fishbeck – Hospice Hero

Community Loving Care Hospice – Bowling Green, Missouri

The team at Community Loving Care Hospice in Bowling Green, Mo., recently had a very important milestone for one of their nurses.  Helen Fishbeck, LPN, just celebrated her 50-year anniversary as a nurse. What an amazing accomplishment!

In 1966, Helen graduated from Graf Vo-Tech School in Springfield, Mo., as an LPN.  She started her career as a hospital nurse at Missouri Hospital and Cox Medical Center in Springfield before moving to St. Louis to be with her new husband and work for Barnes Hospital.

Life brought the couple to the Hannibal, Mo., area and Helen took a position at Audrain Medical Center (which later became Hannibal Medical Center).  She retired from Hannibal Medical Center after 30 years and tried to “take it easy.”  Of course, that didn’t last long. 

Helen told her husband, “I am a nurse and always will be a nurse.  Come tomorrow, I am going to look for a job.”  He replied, “What took you so long?”

Helen found Community Loving Care Hospice and joined the team as a part-time LPN until her husband became ill and eventually passed away.  She continues to work for CLC on a PRN status – always willing to cover patients and do what she can to help her fellow nurses.

Helen is an active supporter of the Patriot Guard Riders, who help escort the Honor Flight Veterans every month by serving sandwiches (along with her fellow CLC team members) to the riders.  She is also an avid fundraiser for the Hospice Promise Foundation.  Helen and her late husband raised a family of 7 children – Raymond, Danny, Christine, Matthew, Michael, Jonathon and Terry.

When asked if she always wanted to be a nurse, she immediately responded: “Oh yes!  I have always wanted to be a nurse for as long as I can remember.  I have always felt it was a real treat to care for other people.”

Thank you, Helen, for your many years of service as a nurse. We appreciate your support for your team, your patients, your community and our Hospice Promise Foundation. You are our Hospice Hero!

Debra Thomas - Hospice Hero

Deaconess Hospice – Biloxi, Mississippi

Deaconess Hospice recently had the opportunity to care for the friend of a fellow LHC Group employee – Donna Gann, DPT at Deaconess Home Care in Pascagoula. The patient was young and had battled his cancer for over a year.  He was put on hospice with the Biloxi team a month before he passed away.

The patient’s wife expressed her deepest thanks to the entire Biloxi team, but especially to registered nurse Debra Thomas, whom she calls her “guardian angel.” She is forever grateful to Debra for not only making things easier on her husband during his last month, but for helping her through the awful experience of losing him. After the patient passed away, Debra was able to handle details that his wife could not emotionally handle.  His wife said that she could have not made it through without her.

The patient’s illness and treatments took a huge financial toll on the family. The Biloxi team applied for help from The Hospice Promise Foundation and a grant was provided to pay for cremation costs.  Again, the wife expressed her deepest appreciation for assistance during this very difficult time.

When thanked for her outstanding service to this family, Debra replied: “No thanks are necessary.  I love what I do and I love my patients and their families.  Being a hospice nurse is my purpose in life.”

Donna Gann expressed her deepest thanks to Deaconess Hospice, Debra and The Hospice Promise Foundation for making a real and important impact on this family’s life.

Debra and the Biloxi team – you are all our Hospice Heroes!  And thanks to everyone who continues to support The Hospice Promise Foundation – you, too, are all Hospice Heroes!