Foothills Times January 2014 Vol 34 May 2014 | Page 35

In 1979, we embraced North Carolina’s
first hospice patient. Looking forward,
we remain committed to providing
compassionate end of life care
for generations to come.

35

Ann Gauthreaux
Director of Public Relations
Imagine that it is 1979 and no one
you know has ever received
“hospice” care. It must have been a leap of faith, at
such a vulnerable time, for our very first patient to
reach out for what was a new way to approach
healthcare at end of life. After all, that would be the
very first person in North Carolina to receive hospice
care.
That was 35 years ago when the hospice movement
was just beginning nationally and in North Carolina.
It changed the way people thought about end of life.
Hospice care was a new alternative that offered
patients nearing end of life a choice to embrace
quality of life rather than futile treatments and dying
in hospitals. Hospice made it possible for patients to
be at home, with holistic care designed to support the
patient, and their family - medically, emotionally,
socially, and spiritually.
It was 1977 when Hospice of North Carolina was
founded and housed at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
in Winston-Salem. At the same time, a group of
citizens in Winston-Salem were meeting to explore
ways to help people in our region receive this same
quality care at end of life so they could die at home.
From this grassroots effort, North Carolina’s first
hospice, formerly named Hospice of WinstonSalem/Forsyth County, Inc., was formed. Several
things have changed since then, yet our mission
remains the same; to provide compassionate care to
help patients, and their loved ones, live every day to
the fullest.
This year is a celebration of hope. As Hospice &
Palliative CareCenter observes its 35th anniversary,
we are sharing the stories of 35 people who have
been touched by Hospice care. In doing so, others
will gain a better understanding
of the
compassionate care available to anyone in need.
When curative treatment for serious illness is no
longer effective, there is still much we can do. That’s
why Hospice & Palliative CareCenter exists. This
was the guiding principle 35 years ago, and it
remains the same today.
To see the faces and hear the stories of those who
have been touched by Hospice care, visit
www.hospicecarecenter.org. For more information
about Hospice & Palliative CareCenter, Kate B.
Reynolds Hospice Home and any of the programs
and services offered, call 336-768-3972.
Summer 2014, Volume 7, No. 34