"Cathy Cich and staff were so good to my dad when he had cancer. They kept him out of pain and let him die with dignity. They were also kind to my mother. I wanted to be able to pay back but shortly after, my mom became sick and died, then my husband died of heart surgery complications. I was lonely and grieving. I went to volunteer training to do something worthwhile with my time and be around people. I have been so blessed by this experience. I've met very kind and appreciative people. It feels good to be helping others and to feel needed. This helped me so much to get through the holidays to take my mind off of me and concentrate on others and to see how God can use me to bless others and in turn receive his blessings."

- Lola Swanagan

 

"Volunteering for Charity Hospice allows me the opportunity to do God's work, provide comfort, safety and quality of life for our neighbors. Three times with our parents, I have experienced the caregiver's role. I know the stress of the situation. I know that feeling of relief when someone comes in your home with understanding, comfort, love and honesty as the Charity Hospice staff brings. I know the appreciation felt by the family. And I know I want to be a part of the team who enters into that situation to help families through a very difficult time. As a patient volunteer, a family member , who is the full time caregiver, is able to keep a doctor's appointment, go to the bank or just simply get away from their daily duties. In my volunteer role, I have been witness to very endearing moments between a patient and spouse. To be allowed to see that commitment is humbling for me. Another time, I arrived at a home and the spouse said they were so happy to see me right then that I received a kiss and a hug. With one patient, we listened to music or I read from the Bible, both of which relaxes and gives quality of life. Sometimes I am just there to listen to a patients's life stories, some bringing laughter while others bring tears, but I love to hear them. We all know volunteering is rewarding and being a part of someone's journey to the next life is a special way to contribute and to serve others. Charity Hospice staff will offer you the knowledge, love and understanding allowing you to do God's work. And staff support is available 24 hours a day. Please consider joining our team, your help is always needed."

- Jane Antonucci

 

"To me, hospice is the chance to say to a soul, like a baby afraid to be born "Do not be afraid! You have never experienced what awaits you, but it is fullness and beauty beyond what you can imagine. Do not be afraid to live more fully!" My experience as a Charity Hospice volunteer has been more gratifying then words can express. It is to experience helping another to resolve the unresolved and to help repair mistakes. It is to hear beautiful memories and to sympathize with regrets. It is learning to love them and the people they love. It is an opportunity to be one of the last confirmations of God's love for them on this earth. I have never seen more capable or compassionate care given to the sick then I have witnessed from the staff and nurses of Charity Hospice. The love and tenderness with which they minister to their patients convinces me they shall one day hear the words of Jesus" Come, you who are blessed by my Father...for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink...naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me.." addressed to them. God bless you Julie! Please give my love to Cathy and the crew."

                            - In His Love, Sister Maria, servant of Abba Father

 

"I first became aware of "Hospice" when my mother, age 91, became ill. She was referred to hospice by her physician. Her diagnosis was "failure to thrive'. These people were some of the most beautiful people I had ever met. They were kind,compassionate and always ready to help. They helped our family through the dying process. Needless to say, there is no way to thank people like this. I was working at the time and my next encounter with hospice was when my supervisor became ill with cancer. Once again I watched as they provided loving care for her (in her home). To me, they were truly angels of the Lord, sent to do his work. I always knew I wanted to be a part of this "bunch of angels". I wanted to "give back". I will never forget my first patient. And with her , I realized that I wasn't "giving back", I just kept receiving. I received so much more from her than what I gave. Each person that I've had the privilege of "being" with through their illness is different and special. I have learned and been given so much from these people and from the hospice group. They have helped me to grow and learn and I thank God everyday for leading me in this direction."

- Mary Alice Mitchell

 

"I am so grateful for the opportunity to share my experience as a hospice volunteer. The only problem is that it may go beyond the requested "few sentences". But I figure you can just use what you want, feeling free to cut & paste, delete & edit. So...to begin: I am so grateful for the blessing of being a Charity Hospice volunteer. When I first started the training I really had no intention of becoming a volunteer (sorry to say). I just was following Sr. Elizabeth's advice that it would be good to go through the training. But as I learned the "ins & outs" of what hospice is, in particular, what Charity Hospice is - I was hooked. I think it was the very evident spirit of love that pervaded each of the talks & each of the staff. The inspiration for Charity Hospice truly was from God and continues to be the inspiration the "spirit in" all that I have seen & experienced in this past year....which is: the spirit of love and the desire to be an instrument of God's peace at one of the greatest moments in a person's journey on earth. That is what I learned in the training, that is what I have seen in the administration, the nurses, the staff & volunteers, and that is what I have been so blessed to experience in my own life as I have visited with & ministered to the patients and families. What a tremendous honor it is to be welcomed into someone's life at such an intimate moment. I believe that every moment of our life is, ideally, leading up to our death. So to be a part of someone's final journey, even though I may have never met them before is a treasured gift. I have been so blessed to see the love & care with which God, Himself, prepares the soul to meet Him. I've seen the beauty of loved ones attentively gathered around their beloved wishing them well, seeing to their every need, offering love & prayers & support in every way. I've seen the fidelity of spouses & the tenderness of children. I've witnessed the outstanding generosity, patience & commitment of the hospice staff. I have experienced the joy of bringing a bit of light & peace at a (sometimes) very painful & difficult time. I've learned more deeply the value of each person & of each moment in that person's life. I've come to see death & the whole process of dying as a true blessing by which one is able to let go of this life in order to embrace the next. In sum (sorry it's taken me so many words to get to this:) I believe God has brought me into Charity Hospice that I might catch a glimpse of His love for each & every person and to learn that death can truly be a beautiful experience if one is given the proper care, attention & love. Your motto says it best: Where charity and love prevail, there God is ever found!"

- Sister Teresa

 

"I can't thank Charity Hospice enough for being there through the years of pain that my husband and I went through.  Special thanks to April and Mary Ann and the rest of the team. Kas really loved April.  She was his pick.  I still have my bad days, as I miss him terribly.  My son calls every day to check on me.  My son in Columbus comes home once a month and my daughter lives right here in town and keeps me busy with my Grandson.  But when I'm alone at night, its hard to cope.  I really miss him.  Thank you for all the team did during our rough times." 

- Linda Deptula

 

"I can't thank you enough for the love and caring that you showed for Wayne & I. What wonderful persons you are!"

- Love, Gladys Lewis (Wife of Wayne Lewis)

 

"Dear Cath:

Hard to believe that 30 days has passed already.  Where does time go?  Thanks again to you and your staff for the care that you provided to Dad.  The journey that we shared with him and the gifts he left us to share were absolutely amazing.  I have always believed in the miracle of life and death; and I have always believed in the idea that while someone is dying they are in fact growing wings to fly up to heaven like an angel.  Charity Hospice, not only validated all my beliefs but also confirmed my belief that goodbyes do not mean an end - but a beginning to once again hope and dream.  I miss Mom/Dad terribly and my heart is often heavy, but what finds me comfort is knowing that I have two amazing angels watching over me : ) Again, thank you, your staff, and thank you Charity Hospice."

- From the Family of Al Furka: Mary Faith Recinella, BS, LSW

 

"Had the butterfly release with Charity Hospice today for my Dad and I made it through the hard day better than I thought.  And I want to thank the person that God sent me to help me through the paidful process leading up to my Dad's death.  Her name is Cari McIntyre, a nurse at Charity Hospice.  I will always be thankful for her and I think of her often.  I hear her kind words and feel her tight hugs and I hope that someday she knows how much she means to me; for God blessed me with an ANGEL to watch over me when he took my Dad.  I am very blessed." 

- Billie Jo Carnegie on Facebook

 

"Dad has commented to everyone who has visited how great he has it being at home and he attributes that a lot to the services that you folks are providing.  We are all forever grateful.  The new mattress has arrived and is quite comfy for Dad.  Cath, thanks to ALL of YOU for your love, support, and care - It truly touches our hearts.  We know that we are in the final days with each day being a gift.  We would not be able to have that with him, if he were anywhere else.  Thank you from all of us."

- Debbie Furka on Facebook

 

Posted in The Herald Star by the Family of George Borsch, Charity Hospice Staff Lauded:

"We have always been told "word of mouth" is the best form of gratitude.  That being said, we would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to Charity Hospice for their consistent, professional and above all compassionate care of our husband and father during his illness and ultimately his passing.  We felt Charity was our savior when our family care was originally being managed by another local hospice agency. We wish to thank Cathy Cich, Director; April Oleksy and Chalisa Cook, nurses - and JoJo Hast, Aide.  Cathy spoke personally to each of us on many occasions to ensure we had all the personnel and supplies we needed.  She personally called the one sibling that lived out of town when his health had deteriorated to the point of his impending demise, not only to provide the information but also to provide her with support and comfort if she would not have been able to arrive prior to his passing.  April and Chalisa were always willing to provide medical information and answer our questions, even when those answers were difficult to hear.  JoJo made us always feel as if we were the only family she had to care for.  Not only did she provide great care to our husband / father as part of her scheduled work days, but she went above and beyond the call of duty.  She came to be with us to offer support during a difficult middle of the night scare as well as requested that we contact her personally, regardless of the day or time in order to perform his final care. Although we have only named a few of the caregivers that made us feel so supported and special that is not meant to take away the gratitude we feel towards the entire Charity Hospice Team.  Our decision to transition our family's care to Charity Hospice was the best decision we could have made.  Charity Hospice has and will always have our family's undying gratitude for helping us through one of the most difficult experiences.  Thank you, Charity Hospice, from the bottom of each of our grieving hearts!"

 - The Family of George Borsch, Daughter Tammy Cope, Eustis, FL

 

"Hi Cathy,

I wish you had some link on your website to post this.  It would be goof for others who are looking at the website to see what your clients' families have to say about your services and your staff. I have given this a lot of thought over the past month or so and I want you to know that Kimi has been an angel sent by the Lord to make Mom's last days comfortable, loving, and full of laughter.  She loved her and she went well above and beyond being her nurse.  She became a part of our family.  Even when she was not on call, she would ask if we wanted her to stop by and give her the Lovenox injection.  She would meet us at the doctor's office, she would offer to drop off prescriptions, sit with my Dad, anything we needed her to do, not because it was her job, but because she loved Mom. She was, thankfully, on call Saturday when Mom's condition changed and she made a call to her doctor.  She also checked in frequently to see if we needed anything and to see how Mom was doing.  Sunday, unfortunately, when the crisi hit, she was tied up with another patie4nt but she sent Kathleen, who also was quite capable and caring.  She handled things well and had us all settled down before she left. Things, then took a turn for the worse in a matter of hours and I felt that she needed more than we were giving her, so I called my dear friend and my Mom's Nurse Practitioner Rosann Trimmer.  Rosann wanted me to call Hospice again because she felt someone needed to be there with us during the crisis.  I did not want to over medicate her without vitals and all so I paged the nurse and it was Kimi whom they connected e to, she was still an hour away, but stopped what she was doing and made some calls to the Doctor for oxygen.  I followed the orders that she had gotten, but was still not comfortable as we wanted her to be by the time Kimi got there.  She took over, called the doctor again and in a matter of an hour she was as comfortable as I think she could have been.  Not only was she her nurse, but she was our hero.  She prayed with us, took the time to talk to each and every family member, she cried with us, she cried with Mom.  My brother Frank, is a CEO of a major hospital in Chicago, and Kimi brought him to his knees.  He was so impressed with her, and because of her, your organization.  She, is the essence of Charity Hospice.  And, for that reason, my brothers and I decided to make the announcement to send donations to Charity Hospice in lieu of flowers and such. You have a gem in that girl.  Appreciate her and nurture her! Thank you."

- Pam Cox and Family (With Permission)

 

"Dearest Cathy, Debbie, Shelly, Sherry, Kim, Nancy, Barbara and all the Charity family,

Thank you all for your presence and time. Thank you for all the information that helps in these situations. Thank you for your patience with me. I have no monies to give, I only have a voice to let people know you are out there. I hope the gifts you receive help to make the road easier for someone else. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart and I hope God fulfills your every dream two fold."

- Thank you, Kim

     

"I have been trying to think of a way to put it in words what you all did for Freda and me to ease our minds and fears. We were more afraid of the unknown and what was before us then we were of the cancer. We had so many questions and you answered all of them. You were God's blessing to us. Thanks, thanks for everything."                                    

- Bill & Todd

 

"My family & I want to thank all of you fine loving, caring folks at Charity Hospice; may you continue to do "Gods" work here on earth; may "His Light" ever be present in "Our Lives" "God" be with "You" & also with "Me". Love ya all."

- Anonymous

 

"Dear Debbie,

Thank you so much for staying in touch, it has been a tough year, I miss my mom everyday, I still have trouble going to the cemetery, but I do, and I talk to her, I just hope she hears me. I thank God everyday for Charity Hospice, for everyone that helped , I will always be grateful. Shelly & Joann were awesome with my mom, she really loved them. Shelly would just sit with her, even if it was 11:00 at night, she was there. She has a wonderful heart. Joann always came in with a smile ready to help with anything & everything. My mom loved to talk with both of them. Cancer is such a shock but when there are people like the staff of Charity Hospice it makes things a bit easier. I'm glad I was able to make my mom's last few weeks filled with people who really cared. I know this is their job but they make you feel like family. They are truly angels. I thank God everyday for all of you."                                

- Love, Gina

 

"You are all angels who came from heaven and made our life much easier. Thanks for all your support."

- Anonymous

 

"My Charity Hospice Family,

I want to thank you for being so kind to Tom. All staff at Charity are so kind, you all did a great job with us. Thank you. Tom is at peace . He sent me a warm feeling that made me know he made it home. God bless you all."

- Anonymous

 

"I want to thank you and your staff for helping me and my family through the process of my father's final hours here and his journey back to Heaven. Thank you for making sure he was given adequate medication to keep him comfortable & for answering my frantic calls. We are so glad you came to see us at the funeral home to offer your love & support. You & your staff are angels on earth. God bless you all."

- Anonymous

 

"On behalf of my family, I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of the amazing individuals who made such a tremendous difference in the quality of life for my late Aunt, Emma Foreman-Randolph.  She was in need of medical equipment, aides, nurses, a social worker, and answers.  Charity Hospice provided my Aunt Emma and our family with a team of angels.  Your presence was truly a blessing and I cannot imagine what we would have ever done without all of you.  THANK YOU! I know that her case had its own unique and special challenges, and I am positive that it must have been a bit overwhelming and even a bit exhausting, but Aunt Emma was treated with an enormous amount of courtesy, dignity, and respect by the many kind and dedicated souls who came into her home.  Charity Hospice provided her with professional care, respect, and even friendship.  In addition, Charity Hospice provided her extended family a wonderful gift - a peace of mind.  Debbie Yoklic not only answered my numerous questions (I was a pest) and always took the time to provide me with reassurance that my Aunt and her family would be well taken care of, but followed through on providing solutions to the numerous obstacles which plagued my Aunt's situation which was not an easy feat.  Thank you!"

- From the Family of Emma Randolph (With Permission)

 

"I would also like to convey special thanks to Kathleen, who assessed my Aunt's initial medical needs with a great amount of respect; Barb who visited my Aunt and helped with hygiene, Tammy who also visited and and helped with hygiene and other needs and to her nurse - Kim.  Charity Hospice is wonderful and provides an amazing service. Thank you to Everyone!"

- Sincerely, Deborah Moio

 

"On behalf of Bob Ryan and entire Ryan Family, let us thank all of you.  Your organization has been a God-send from the first time a member of your staff stepped through our door.  We can't even begin to tell you how much support and comfort you have brought to our family. Back in December, 2010 when Bob was accepted as your patient, we have referred to your organization as "Our Christmas Miracle".  Little did we know just how much that would come to mean when in February, 2011, you would then accept Jean as well.  From the excellent and compassionate care provided by your nursing staff, to the wonderful care by your aides, and the loving support of your social workers, Charity Hospice has been there for us.  In particular, JoJo, our Christmas Angel, has displayed the most incredibly genuine and uplifting care and compassion for both Bob and Jean.  You are blessed to have such a wonderful, loving person to be representing Charity Hospice. In Jean's last days, your people were there for us.  Every one of them demonstrated a true and loving heart.  They expertly demonstrated their skills, as well as their dedication to their patient and the family in this intimate and difficult time. May the work of Charity Hospice go on for many, many years to come as the heart of the company is obviously as big as all of those who work for it."                              

- With Much Love and Gratitude, The Family of Jean & Bob Ryan