Gratitude Endures Years After Wife’s Hospice Care
Hello Dear Friends: As I reflect on my first full year as CEO of Care Dimensions, I am humbled by the incredible journey we’ve embarked on together. Throughout 2023, we faced challenges with resilience, always keeping our focus on our mission to provide compassionate care to those facing serious illness. I’ve been inspired by the innovative ways our supporters have stepped up this past year. From an inaugural comedy event to the sweet success of an ice cream fundraiser, these events showcased the strength of our community’s commitment
In October of 2007, Mark Palmer became a single parent to two young children when his wife, Sue, died following a two-year bout with a rare form of soft tissue cancer. Sue, who was just 43 years old, had been referred to hospice by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. A team from Hospice of the North Shore (now Care Dimensions) took care of her at home for six weeks. The children – Jack and Ruby – were six and four years old when Sue died. More than 16 years later, Jack and Ruby are now in their 20s, but Mark never forgot the lessons he learned from his wife’s end-of-life journey and the support he received while helping his children deal with their grief. A former software business CEO, Mark is now a prominent social media voice about technology, data, and leadership. He writes and speaks about “Where Technology Meets Humanity” (see https:// techno-sapien.com/). He continues to appreciate the care and support his family received years ago during and following Sue’s time on hospice. He recently republished “When You Suddenly Become a Mom and a Dad,” in which he shares lessons learned from that experience. Hospice supports patient and family Mark recalls driving Sue from their Merrimack Valley home to Dana-Farber for outpatient treatment several times a week. “Those trips became an exhausting grind for Sue, and nearly unbearable because of her pain,” Mark remembers. “Previously, Sue had volunteered for a hospice, so when her doctor recommended the service, she knew it meant comfort and support” As soon as Sue came onto hospice, “the situation shifted from a battle to just ensuring she was comfortable so she could spend quality time with family and friends,” recalls Mark. Hospice of the North Shore ordered and set up a hospital bed for Sue in the Palmers’ living room. Sue’s hospice team visited regularly and included a nurse, aide, and chaplain. An art therapist helped Jack and Ruby express their feelings.
“The nurses took charge of Sue’s care, and the team was so proactive. Everything was taken care of, and it feels like magic that it happened,” Mark remembers. “Our coordinator suggested art therapy for the kids. I had never even heard of art therapy, but it proved to be very helpful.
to our cause. Meanwhile, traditional gatherings like the Walk for Hospice and Tree of Lights saw increased participation, marking a return to togetherness as we move beyond pandemic precautions. Yet, it’s not just these large gatherings that make a difference. Small, personal acts of kindness touch the hearts of our patients. From Thanksgiving meal donations to volunteers serenading patients with Christmas carols to a Valentine’s Day barbershop quartet, your compassion is felt across our organization. I extend my deepest gratitude to each and every one of our donors for your unwavering support. Your generosity fuels our mission and enables us to provide vital services to those who need them most. Your contributions truly make a difference, and we are profoundly grateful for your partnership. As we continue this journey together, I am filled with hope and optimism. With your ongoing support, we can continue our commitment to providing compassionate, quality care for those on their end-of-life journey. With thanks and gratitude,
Jack, Sue, Ruby, and Mark Palmer posed for a family photo during a Florida vacation. “For example,” Mark continues, “the art therapist showed Jack and Ruby a jar filled with slips of paper that contained pictures and words drawn by kids whose parents were also sick. The kids loved this and scribbled their drawings. Jack drew a sad face, and Ruby drew a happy one. When I asked Ruby what makes her happy, she replied, ‘Now that mom’s home and the TV is set up in the dining room, I get to ride on the hospital bed and watch I Love Lucy with her.’ Lessons in grief Following Sue’s death, Mark, Jack, and Ruby attended Care Dimensions’ grief support camp, Camp Stepping Stones, during the summers of 2008 and 2009. Mark recalls some important lessons he learned: “One of the sessions for adults described how a child’s understanding of death changes as they get older: from zero to four, they don’t understand the concept of permanence; from six to the teenage years, they understand that permanence and how it makes them ‘different’
Stephanie Patel, MD, MBA, FAAHPM, HMDC President and CEO Board Chair’s Letter
It is with heartfelt appreciation and admiration that I look back on this past year— Dr. Stephanie Patel’s first full year as our extraordinary CEO, effective, visionary leadership by her executive team, and energy and passionate caring displayed by all the Care Dimensions staff, supporters, and volunteers. I have been involved with Care Dimensions for almost 15 years—as a grateful recipient of home hospice services for my father, as a financial supporter, as a Board member, and now as Board Chair. It takes very special people to care for those with serious illness, and Care Dimensions is defined by these exceptional individuals. My eternal gratitude goes out to Care Dimensions’ aides, nurses, and doctors; to our chaplains, social workers, and complementary therapists; to the expert administrative professionals who enable Care Dimensions’ good works; and to the hospice volunteers who provide comfort and companionship to our patients and their families and friends. What each of you, and all of us, support—through our donations, volunteer work, and advocacy for Care Dimensions—are the people who support each of us every day with such compassion, intelligence, and grace. I join them in thanking you for your caring, and for your support.
Ellen Smith Chair, Board of Directors, Care Dimensions
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