Hospice Walk Celebrates Loved Ones and Caregivers

While many people associate the word “hospice” with sadness and dying, for Stacy Vining of Danvers, the word brings her much comfort. On September 22, the Walk for Hospice of the North Shore and Greater Boston will once again be a positive one as she walks in honor of her mother, Shirley. Stacy was only a child when Shirley passed away, and while she didn’t know at the time that her mother was cared for by hospice services, her father still recalls the deep comfort he felt knowing there were nurses and caregivers there with him when his wife passed on. 

After donating some money to Hospice of the North Shore & Greater Boston several years ago, Stacy and her father were invited to a ceremony to unveil a brick inscribed with her mother’s name. It read “In Loving Memory of Shirley A. Vining.” 

“I still remember listening to the director and chaplain give warm speeches, and it was so great to be a part of,” Stacy says. “I am so very grateful for the care and support Hospice gave my mother and my family in our time of need. What they do is vitally important to make patients’ last days as peaceful as possible.”

When Walk day arrives on September 22, Stacy is looking forward to supporting Hospice of the North Shore & Greater Boston and to absorbing the positive atmosphere. “Everyone is there with the same goal, to raise money for a great organization. There is a buzz in the air. One year it was raining and the turn-out was still great. People were soaked walking in the rain and didn't seem to care.”

The 26th Annual Walk for Hospice of the North Shore & Greater Boston will take place Sunday, September 22 at St. John’s Preparatory Academy at 72 Spring St. in Danvers. Registration begins at 8am at the Ryken Building and the 3-mile walk begins at 9am. Shorter walk routes and tribute laps will also be available. Proceeds from the Walk help fund Hospice services not covered by insurance, including compassionate care for the uninsured and underinsured, grief counseling through the Bertolon Center for Grief and Healing, complementary therapies, volunteer training, palliative care and much more.

“No one knows, until it is their time, what it feels like to know you only have a certain amount of time to live,” Stacy says. “The caregivers and nurses at Hospice provide such a needed comfort and support to those people. I will continue to support them in any way I can.” 

To register for or donate to the Walk for Hospice of the North Shore & Greater Boston, please click here: http://bit.ly/1fUH6zK