$9,115 from a Donor Advised Fund
These funds were used for general operating support for the HomeReach Hospice Program, including bereavement support. These programs allow them to cope with the death of a loved one as well as understand the process of hospice and grief as a transition.
“I'll never forget the day my dad stopped by my house to tell me he had only months to live and his doctors had run out of options for him. His words, our emotions and the idea that I was going to watch my dad die of cancer literally brought me to my knees,” says Jill Gaby of her father Jim. “I simply couldn’t imagine getting through what the inevitable end was for dad, my lively, belly-laughing father who loved to live life like no other. The idea of watching him actively die was inconceivable to me.”
For Jill and her family, getting through this experience was not easy, but having HomeReach Hospice and their inpatient unit—Kobacker House—made all the difference. “The main reason we endured his death as well as we did was because of the incredible care he received at Kobacker House. His doctors, nurses and so many others guided us through my dad’s final days with a complete understanding of our feelings. They answered our questions while still balancing their professionalism with sincerity and compassion,” says Jill.
Hospice care was so important to Jill and her family that she wanted to do something to make a difference. She chose to raise money during her Boston Marathon experience through the Run to Remember program.
Run to Remember is the National Hospice Foundation's race training and fundraising program dedicated to advancing the cause of hospice care. While you are training and running to honor the memory of loved ones, the Run to Remember program helps you to raise vital dollars for the hospice program of your choice. In Jill’s case, that was HomeReach Hospice and the National Hospice Foundation.
“My Run to Remember experience was a wonderful way to honor my father while providing family and friends an opportunity to give back in his memory,” says Jill. For Jill, raising money to help HomeReach Hospice and the National Hospice Foundation made her run all the more meaningful.
“Hospice care is one of those experiences you have to live through to understand its impact. It was truly life-changing for me to see first-hand the selflessness, the kindness and gentleness that was provided by each Kobacker House care employee,” says Jill. “While I wish my father and our family hadn't had to endure the pain and suffering, especially at the end of his life, I can’t imagine better care than what he received at Kobacker House. I feel very strongly that everyone should have access to hospice care.”
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