THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, April 25, 1995 TAG: 9504250001
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 39 lines
April 23-29 is National Volunteer Week, and I would like to publicly express gratitude to the people I believe are the most dedicated volunteers in our community - the volunteers of the Sentara Hospice Program.
Most people know that hospice provides a very special kind of care for terminally ill people and their families, but it is less known that without volunteers our hospice could not function. Even the federal government recognizes the importance of volunteers in hospice care by requiring that Medicare-approved hospices utilize volunteers from their communities.
Nationally, about 100,000 people serve as hospice volunteers, and last year they gave more than 5 million hours to serve terminally ill patients and families!
No task is too big or too small for our volunteers, but often the most important thing they can do is just ``be there'' for patients - to reassure them they are not alone, to hold a hand, to give a bath, to run an errand, to offer a smile or to just listen. It is not easy work, but the personal rewards are enormous. The strength and courage of patients provide a constant source of inspiration, and volunteers usually feel that they gain more than they have been able to give.
The Sentara Hospice Program has a constant need for new volunteers. We should all be grateful to hospice volunteers for their wealth of time and compassion.
VAUGHAN B. FREDERICK
Manager of volunteer services
Sentara Hospice Program
Norfolk, April 10, 1995 by CNB