According to VNA President and CEO Katherine Krause,
“VNA has a long tradition serving our most vulnerable neighbors in North Texas through our Meals on Wheels and Hospice Programs. The goal of VNA Hospice Care is to ensure quality care and compassionate support for medically appropriate patients and their families regardless of access to insurance or ability to pay.
“Hospice is a word many know but few truly understand. For our staff who work with patients facing terminal illness and their families, there is only one way to explain hospice: it’s a gift. As the oldest hospice agency in the state of Texas, VNA has many stories of this “gift” and how special it can be. Our holistic approach to care goes beyond clinical needs. Through the generosity of the Ginger Murchison Foundation, a Hospice Patient Fund was established in 2005 to help VNA hospice patients with non-medical necessities. For those experiencing financial hardship, we provide items such as bed and bath linens, basic toiletry items, assistance with paying utility bills, and during the holidays, purchase gifts for families with children at home.
“This holiday we have the joy of caring for a father (age 31) with a terminal diagnosis and providing support to his wife and three young boys ages 8, 10, and 12. We are also making spirits a little brighter for two teen boys who lost their beloved grandfather—their primary caregiver—just two months ago. I could go on with more wonderful stories of our courageous patients and their families.
“We are blessed to have the Murchison Foundation and other donors contribute to this fund, but our fund is depleting quickly and my wish this holiday season is to ensure we bring joy to patients and their families at such a difficult time. Will you join me in helping these special families this Christmas by contributing to the Murchison Patient Fund? Thank you for your generosity this holiday and all year round.”
-By Katherine Krause, VNA president and CEO
* Graphic provided by VNA
Linda Giddens says
I was fortunate to be able to be involved in the delivery of some of these gifts to these families. Our volunteers provided brand new bikes for each child, locks and helmets for those bikes, Wal-mart gift cards, gas gift cards, individual gifts for each child and the parents as well. Cash was donated for the necessities such as food.
I wish each one of you could have seen the look on the mother’s face when we started unloading, bikes and all the multitude of gifts that were donated. She could not speak!
Please be assured that every donation you make toward the Murchison Fund is used wisely and generously with our precious patients that are in great need.
In our times when we see so many negative news stories, it is so refreshing to know there are many many good and generous people in the world and many of them are TEXANS!!
Merry Christmas to you all…….
Linda Giddens
Volunteer Coordinator
VNA Hospice/Dallas