Literature Review

92-year-old Victoria woman under hospice care throws first pitch at Generals game Victoria Advocate; by Advocate Staff; 6/22/24A 92-year-old Victoria woman and hospice patient was thrilled to throw the first pitch at a recent Generals game. Virginia Hirsch threw the pitch at the June 15 game at Riverside Stadium after she was nominated by Hospice of South Texas, where she is a patient. Virginia was so excited to be nominated,” the woman’s daughter Teresa Diefenbach said. “She said she felt like a celebrity. She also said that this was one of the greatest nights she has had in a long time.” She is currently under outpatient hospice care due to having a brain tumor and lymphoma. At the June 15 game, Hirsch was accompanied by her children, grandchildren, relatives and many friends, including her hospice family, who all cheering her on.

It’s your funeral! How to plan ahead for the best party you’ll never attend The Guardian; by Doosie Morris; 6/14/24 Years before the indomitable Joan Rivers died in 2014 she immortalised hopes for her own farewell in her memoir. ... The rise in so-called “death positivity”, along with the mortal reality check wreaked on us by the pandemic, has helped to reframe death as a part of life for many of us. Taboos around discussing death are breaking down and planning your own funeral is increasingly considered as responsible as writing a will. ... While the latest Australian Funeral Industry report found less than one in five Australians have actually planned their own funeral, a definite vibe shift is occurring and 90% of people say they want to. ... “When people say ‘I don’t want a funeral’ I remind them it’s not actually for them,” Griffith says. “You might think you’re doing your loved ones a favour, but you are actually denying everyone who needs somewhere to put their grief.” ...

Decatur Fire & Rescue brighten day for man in hospice careWAFF 48 (AL); 6/6/24Decatur Fire & Rescue helped cheer up a man in hospice care on Thursday. Bobby Lacy, 68, is in hospice care due to congestive heart failure. Lacy, whose biggest passions are fire trucks and cowboy boots, also has Down syndrome. Members of Decatur Fire & Rescue made a special visit to Lacy to see one of their fire trucks in person.

Patient’s wish to visit Graceland granted with help of Texarkana’s Heritage Hospice NBC KTAL-6, Texarkana, TX: by Hunter Trombetta; 6/7/24A Texarkana hospice recently fulfilled one of its patients’ wishes. Debora Warren is a patient with Heritage Home Health & Hospice. She says she has been an Elvis fan since she was 10 years old. ... Her favorite Elvis song, “If I Can Dream,” surely takes on a new meaning now because, at the age of 71, her dream to visit Graceland came true thanks to a unique program at Heritage Hospice. “Wishes is a program where we grant our hospice patients their final wishes. Miss Debora Warren wanted to go to Graceland, and so we made that happen,” says Kristy Minton, the Volunteer Coordinator at Heritage Home Health and Hospice.

Musician grants dying wish to hospice patient The Platte County Citizen; by Rimsie McConiga; 5/14/24 Jazz musician Stanton Kessler was surprised when he was contacted recently by his friend, a hospice nurse, who reached out to him with an unusual request. A patient at the Kansas City hospice where she works told her his last wish would be to hear his favorite song, ‘Feels So Good’ before he died. During their conversations Kessler’s impression was that this was his friend’s first experience with a request such as this. “There was an element of urgency,” Kessler said. “She said he was near death.” ... An incredibly emotional and rewarding moment followed when Kessler began to play the patient’s beloved song. The man’s eyes remained closed, but his fingers began to move. ...Editor's Note: For research-based, hospice clinical stories, and rich music metaphors for ways use music with the dying and bereaved, examine the book, Music of the Soul, Chapter 7 "The Final Cadence," in Routledge's international Series in Death, Dying, and Bereavement (series edited Robert A. Neimeyer), authored by Joy S. Berger, DMA, FT, BCC, MT-BC (editor for this newsletter).

Art exhibition held to honor hospice patientKTVN 2 News, Nevada; by Jake Reno; 4/28/24 Robert Henry, who has always dreamed of showcasing his artwork, was very overwhelmed and happy to see all of the people who came to see his work. Compassion Care Hospice and the Nevada Fine Arts held an art exhibition to honor Robert Henry, a hospice patient ... After members of the hospice care team found out more about Henry's story and how much art meant to him, they were inspired to figure out a way to honor him and his life's passion.

Lindon woman’s dream of having her music on the radio comes true KSLTV 5, Salt Lake City, Utah; by Alex Cabrero; 4/26/24 With weeks left to live, a Lindon woman’s dream of her music airing on the radio is becoming a reality. “They are experiences I have had, but there are no words ever that will describe my journey,” Gracelyn Wilkinson said. Gracelyn Wilkinson’s music, specifically the words to her songs, is about as remarkable as it gets. While she is only 19 years old, she has had the kind of life experiences many people will fortunately never have. ... Gracelyn Wilkinson is now home in Lindon on hospice, where precious time is now measured in days.

Hospice nurse plays instrumental role in patient’s joy Scottsdale Progress, by Lin Sue Flood; 4/20/24 You see it at every symphony performance. People so enraptured by the music — their eyes close and their fingers dance in the air. Stuart Brown is one of those people. But as illness began to limit his mobility, the 81-year-old Scottsdale man relinquished the thought of ever attending a live concert again. That’s when his Hospice of the Valley nurse secretly reached out to the Phoenix Symphony with a request to hold a small private concert in his Scottsdale home.

A wish to remember: Penn Medicine program fulfills patients’ last requests Penn Medicine News, by Meredith Mann; 4/9/24 The patient was dying of cancer. All options for saving or prolonging their life had been exhausted. Now, the patient most wanted to spend one more carefree, joyous day with their grandchild. ... This is just one example of the last requests granted through Princeton Health’s Three Wishes Project. On paper, it’s about performing small gestures that bring comfort and meaning to patients at the end of their lives. In practice, it’s about so much more—providing a sense of hope and closure, not only to these patients and their families, but also to staff.

Hospice wedding a declaration of love in the face of medical challenge Penticton Western News, by Alistair Taylor; 4/4/24 The essence of hospice philosophy – emphasizing the significance of cherishing every moment and embracing life to the fullest – was exemplified by the touching and beautiful wedding of Sean Adelberg and Mary Davidson at Campbell River’s Hospice House on Tuesday, April 2. ... “This journey to the altar accompanies Mary’s heroic battle with stage 4 Glioblastoma—an incurable brain cancer. Despite the odds, we’re seizing this incredible chance to celebrate our love,” Adelberg said.

Couple marries at Iowa River Hospice to share day with dying grandfather Times-Republican, by Sara Jordan-Heintz; 3/20/24 It takes a village to coordinate a last-minute wedding, and in the case of Madeline and Quinton Ward, it also took a hospice house. The couple wed at Iowa River Hospice on Monday, February 26 so her grandfather Roger Bauder could officiate. “I wanted our favorite person — my grandfather — to marry us,” Maddie said. “We were blessed to have lots of family and close friends at his side.”

I'm 34 and terminally ill, but I'm not scared of death anymore Metro / Microsoft Start, by Jyoti Smith; 3/31/24 I’ve spent the last nine years living with the idea of dying. In 2015, aged 25, I received my terminal diagnosis. ... My prognosis: three-to-five years. But here I am, almost 10 years on, at 34, and I’m living life to the fullest – if on the edge – and it’s largely down to one thing. Embracing hospice care. ... Editor's Note: Jyoti describes her journey and the care she now received from Marie Curie (hospice), in the United Kingdom.

Hospice nurse plays instrumental role in patient’s joyCity Sun Times, by Lin Sue Flood; 3/27/24You see it at every symphony performance - people so enraptured by the music that their eyes close and their fingers dance in the air. Stuart Brown is one of those people. But as illness began to limit his mobility, the 81-year-old relinquished the thought of ever attending a live concert again. That’s when his Hospice of the Valley nurse secretly reached out to the Phoenix Symphony with a request to hold a small private concert in his Scottsdale home. “We absolutely can make this happen for him and his family,“ said Valerie Bontrager, director of community engagement. Editor's Note: Need some inspiration? Read this heart-warming story.