Literature Review

Column: Norbert Peiker, architect and marathon runner finishes his life’s raceRichland Source; by Carl Hunnell; 11/7/24Norbert Peiker was never a cancer survivor. He was a cancer thriver. And when he left this earth Oct. 28 at the age of 84, it wasn’t because he finally lost a heroic 28-year battle with bone cancer. Losing was never in his mentality during his long and accomplished life. Nor was it a part of his death. Cancer took his body. It never touched his mind. Or his heart. I first met Norbert Peiker during his brilliant tenure as a long-distance runner when I came to Mansfield in 1990 as a reporter at the Mansfield News Journal. ... Norbert then called me each evening to tell me how many miles he had run that day. ... He covered the distance in 12 days, averaging 38 miles a day, and raising $50,000 along the way. [Through the years he] completed 47 marathons, including five Boston Marathons. [That] would merely scratch the surface of Norbert Peiker, the man. ... In September, however, he told me, “My Friend, fighting pain, immobility and mental stress for years, my focus deserves to be reconnection with quality of life; therefore, I have decided on joining hospice home care. With a strong loving family on my mind I’m truly blessed.” [Click on the title's link to read this inspiring story.]

Meijer donates $10,000 in memory of longtime employee WoodTV.com, Algoma Township, MI; by Kyle Mitchell; 11/1/24 A longtime employee at the Rockford Meijer store who died earlier this year was honored Friday with a $10,000 donation made in her name. The store director presented a check to representatives of Faith Hospice in honor of Pat Julien. Julien, the mother of WOOD TV8 engineer Michael Julien, died in July following a battle with breast cancer. She worked at the Rockford Meijer for 15 years. The impact she made inspired the employees to select a charity for the store to support in her memory. ... The store selects a charity to donate to every year through the Meijer Team Gives program. This year, the employees wanted to do something in Pat Julien’s memory. The store originally planned to donate $5,000, but decided to donate the full $10,000 amount on behalf of the company, assistant store director Kurt Guarisco said. “We voted on that as a team within the store and what happened is we chose Faith Hospice,” Guarisco said. Editor's note: Click here for Faith Hospice, in Byron Center, Michigan.

Tidewater Rotary cleans, revitalizes outdoor spaces at Talbot Hospice The Star, Easton, MD; 11/1/24 Members of the Tidewater Rotary Club, along with their families and friends, recently gathered to revitalize the backyard patio and garden areas at Talbot Hospice. Over two Saturdays, volunteers transformed the space, giving it a fresh, renewed look. The project supported Talbot Hospice by enhancing outdoor spaces where residents and families can find peace and comfort. Efforts included removing poison ivy and brush, power washing structures, and repainting the pergola and wood fence. Patios connected to patient rooms, leading to the gardens, received newly built benches, minor repairs and a fresh coat of paint. Window trims were repainted, and outdoor furniture was power washed.  

CNY Inspirations: Caregiving is redemptive Syracuse.com, Syracuse, NY; by InterFaith Works of Central New York; 11/3/24 I will carry him with me for my life as one of the greatest examples of caring that I ever met. I will be obscure on the details, but he cared for his wife, who was completely immobilized, with a degree of fidelity, creativity, and painstaking love that I have rarely seen and could only hope to imitate. He lived what Arthur Kleinman calls in his book of the same title, The Soul of Care. ... He says, “Caregiving, for me, at its deepest was redemptive. It redeemed me…. in caregiving, there is a common tug of war between the sometimes-bitter feelings that care is a burden and the more heartening certainty that no matter how burdensome, it is ultimately rewarding.” ... My friend never expressed that verbally, but I saw it lived as I watched him over the years through periods of anxiety, weariness, anger, hurt, despair, and through it all, intense, personal demanding caregiving. “And so, in the end, the soul of care pivots to care of the soul.” Inauspiciously, my friend took good care of his soul…and certainly helped mine.

How to celebrate veterans in hospice on Veterans Day 3HC, Goldsboro, NC; by 3HC; retrieved from the internet 10/31/24 Some served our country in foreign lands while others dutifully protected us on our home shores. All of them demonstrate commitment and courage, helping secure the rights and freedoms we so often take for granted. These brave men and women should be celebrated every day—not just on Veterans Day. ... Do you have a relative or loved one in hospice care who is a veteran? Read more to discover great ways to celebrate veterans in hospice on Veterans Day. ...

80-year-old 'Mom' cares for homeless men in Philadelphia ABC News 7, New York, NY; by Matteo Iadonisi; 10/30/24 Cecelia Robinson has earned the nickname 'Mom' during her two decades of showing motherly love to homeless residents at St. John's Hospice. Her work in environmental services and housekeeping ranges from taking out the trash to developing relationships with clients and making sure their needs are met. Specifically, she works in the Good Shepherd residence at St. John's Hospice, which cares for men who are considered medically fragile. Robinson has helped men like Craig Freeman, who utilized the Good Shepherd for transitional housing and has since moved into his own apartment. Watch the video [here] to see Robinson's story in action.Editor's note: Do you need inspiration? Click here to view this beautiful story about Cecelia Robinson's care for homeless residents at St. John's Hospice.

Nonprofit organizes free home cleanings for cancer patients The Dallas Express, Dallas, TX; by Patti Villegas; 10/27/24 When facing a serious illness, even simple tasks can become overwhelming. However, one nonprofit organization is stepping in to help alleviate some of that burden for individuals with cancer. Cleaning for a Reason, founded in 2006, has facilitated free home cleaning services for more than 57,133 cancer patients in the U.S. and Canada, providing services valued at a total of more than $19 million. The non-profit organization partners with residential cleaning companies and community volunteers to “clean the homes of cancer patients to provide hope, relief, control, and cleanliness,” the group’s website states. The volunteers’ work not only enhances the patients’ physical environment but uplifts their spirits as well.

Lightways Hospice in Joliet dedicates street to former CEO Duane Krieger The Herald News, Joliet, IL; by Denise Unland; 10/24/24 On Tuesday [10/22], Lightways Hospice and Serious Illness Care in Joliet dedicated its drive to former CEO Duane Krieger of Shorewood on what would have been his 88th birthday. He did earlier this year, May 28, 2024. [He proudly spent his final days benefitting from his life’s work, Lightways Hospice (formerly Joliet Area Community Hospice) surrounded by his family and so many friends. ... In 1992 he joined Joliet Area Community Hospice as CEO and soon created the first in- patient hospice in Illinois. He proudly led the capital campaign that allowed JACH to move into a brand new, state of the art facility in 2004, ultimately becoming Lightways Hospice. He retired, twice, from his employment in hospice but never stopped working for its benefit.]**From Duane Krieger's obituary, as the 10/24 article is behind a paywall for most readers.

Farmer in hospice takes one last trip to the farm Sanford Health; by Mick Garry; 10/23/24 Marvin Miller grew up on a farm near Parker, South Dakota, and then farmed the land himself after his mother and father retired. ... He is being cared for at Sanford Health’s Ava’s House, an acute-level, inpatient hospice facility in Sioux Falls, that provides 24-hour nursing care to patients. When Marvin was asked if he had anything he wanted to see or to do before his health would not permit it, he admitted ... that he would like to see the farm and crops and get another chance to take a tour of Parker, a town of about 1,200, a half-hour southwest of Sioux Falls. ... The staff at Ava’s House quickly began finding a way to make it happen. With financial assistance from the Sanford Health Foundation, they were able to rent a wheelchair van that the Millers could use to make the trip. ... The Millers are grateful the Ava’s House staff made the effort to help Marvin at a difficult time. Just as farming goes outside the scope of a normal job, so does caring for people at Ava’s House. “We’re very appreciative of the staff at Ava’s House,” Paula said. “They’re wonderful people. They set it up and organized the whole trip for us. We got to share a day at the farm with our kids.”

Meet the Maytown woman whose 'Apple Dumpling Gang' makes 700+ treats for people needing a pick-me-up LNP and Lancaster Online, Lancaster, PA; by Laura Knowles; 10/22/24 ... “One day my father-in-law — we called him Poppy — came home with six apples, and asked if I would make apple dumplings for him,” Goodhart said. “It was such a simple request.” Paul Goodhart loved his apple dumplings so much that it gave his daughter-in-law an idea. She began making apple dumplings for others who needed a sweet pick-me-up. That was 15 years ago. Since then, Goodhart has enlisted help from others, dubbing the group the Apple Dumpling Gang. Just last week, the group of nearly 40 women made 775 apple dumplings for seniors, hospice patients, retirement home residents, shut-ins, cancer patients and anyone who could use the heartfelt blessing of an apple dumpling handmade with love. 

A simple question changed how I saw my daughter’s life Newsweek Life; by Nikki Moberly; 10/20/24 When my daughter was born almost 24 years ago, not only did I begin my journey as a first-time parent, I embarked on an odyssey that nobody could have prepared me for. This little girl with the face and disposition of an angel was born with a devastating condition, diagnosed at two-and-a-half months old with Aicardi Syndrome. ...  The first years of her life were laser-focused on learning more about her rare condition, symptom stabilization, medication adjustments, therapists, and doctor's appointments. Erin was eligible for early intervention services allowing her to go to school at age three. ... For one of those interviews, the social worker came to my home for us to complete Erin's "student profile" card. I was about to learn the power of a well-placed question. She started by simply asking: "What are Erin's strengths?" ... [Click on the title's link to continue this mother's journey through her daughter's life and death.]

Music therapist helps patients navigate end-of-life journey on Long Island CBS New York / YouTube; by Jenna DeAngelis; 10/15/24 Music therapy helps with emotional and physical health, and now the healing power of music is being brought to hospice patients on Long Island.

‘It’s more like hope’: New hospice patient’s Halloween wish come true WTOC 11, Pooler, GA; by Jasmine Butler; 10/14/24 Tons of candy, a bunch of costumes and hundreds of people. That is what a neighborhood in Pooler looked like as people gathered for a Layla Alacan, who recently entered Hospice Care. “She is so sweet when she wants to be and she’ll cuddle up and give kisses, she’s the definition of a sour patch kid. She’s super sour and then super sweet after,” said Layla’s mother, Courtney Alacan. She has a big personality, but she’s fighting a big battle. Layla has a rare terminal disorder called 4H Leukodystrophy. ... It’s an experience her parents Courtney and Nick Alacan know all too well. “Our first child Jamie also had the condition. And she unfortunately passed in April of 2023,” said Alacan. So, they’re vowing to make her wildest dreams come true. ... “[We]  asked her what her favorite holiday was and she said Halloween," said Alacan. “Thinking we would have 40 or 50 kids come through and just you know, have a nice little night. Then, it blew up and now we’re here and we couldn’t be more grateful," said Alacan. An entire community, celebrating Halloween a little early but also rooting on the six-year-old with enough spunk, for them all.