After living with cancer for more than five years, Karen Grothouse’s husband, Dan, began receiving palliative care. For nearly a month, the team helped manage his symptoms and supported his physical and emotional needs. All the while, they also guided Karen and her family through difficult decisions. When Dan eventually transitioned to hospice care, the family felt supported and prepared for what was ahead. 

“When you have somebody that is able to guide you through that process with a lot of faith and ease, you feel very blessed,” Karen says. 

Palliative medicine is designed to improve quality of life for people living with serious illness. It can be provided at any stage of illness, including alongside treatment. Physicians, nurses, social workers and chaplains work together to address each patient’s mind, body and soul. 

For Karen, that comprehensive approach brought comfort and reassurance. 

“Dan did a lot of pain-free living because of Dr. Flaherty and his team,” she says. “We were able to travel between chemo treatments with his help. Sometimes it was just a simple tweak of the medicine and other times it may have been a new medicine.” 

Karen believes those who provide palliative and hospice care have a special calling. Their compassion and expertise help patients and families navigate some of life’s most challenging moments with dignity and peace. Your generosity helps ensure this specialized care is available to patients and families. 

“I want donors to know that they’re supporting people who absolutely love what they do, and how important that is at such a difficult time.”