WINTER 2015
Journeys
The newsletter that brings you closer to the lives you help change.
Myra Howard has end-stage
scleroderma. Because of you,
she’s getting the support she
needs to deal with her illness
and live life as fully as she can.
INSIDE
More stories of hope and healing
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You gave Ann
a simple gift
Myra lost her independence,
but not her will to live
of pajamas.
Thanks to you, Providence is there to help
Quilters: Share
M
your gift with
grieving kids.
Because of you,
teen found light
in darkness.
This newsletter shares stories
of people whose lives were
transformed, who found
hope when they were past
hope...thanks to the work we
did together. You made this
all possible. Thank you.
yra Howard is 69 years old. She and
her husband, Jeff, have been married
for 45 years. They have two sons. Myra
is an accomplished weaver. She has a
beautiful loom in her living room. She loves
gardening, spending time with friends, and
going out to the theatre.
But all of this began to change nine years
ago. Odd symptoms and medical issues
kept coming up. After numerous doctors’
visits and consultations, Myra was finally
diagnosed with scleroderma.
Scleroderma is an autoimmune disorder
in which the skin and connective tissues
harden. It’s chronic, and there is no cure. In
Myra’s case, it’s progressive and affects her
lungs and other internal organs.
Loss of independence
During the last five years, her disease has
gotten worse. She’s needed more oxygen to
breathe. She’s had five fingers amputated.
Then, over the last few months, her
health has taken a noticeable dive. Her
health and mobility have become so
difficult and serious that she rarely leaves
the house.
Myra can no longer weave. She can’t
garden. She and Jeff don’t go to the theatre
anymore. And she isn’t able to get together
with friends like she used to.
“The hardest part about this has been
my loss of independence,” explained Myra.
“Having a chronic illness is very isolating.
I’m separated from the world.”
Myra’s story continued on page 3
You gave Ann
the simple gift
of pajamas –
Thank you!
Sometimes the little things
make all the difference
T
erminal illness can take a toll, emotionally and
physically, on patients and families. It’s hard, in so
many ways. Some of our patients have no family to help
care for them or give financial support.
That’s the situation Ann Kuhn is in. She’s 88 years old
and lives in a nursing home. She doesn’t have any family
to help care for her. And she has very little money.
Recently, her hospice aide, Lydia, noticed that Ann’s
clothes weren’t fitting her quite right. They were either
too tight or too loose. They also weren’t warm enough
for her. Like a lot of elderly folks, Ann gets cold easily.
What Ann really needed was a pair of warm, comfy
pajamas. The problem was that Ann didn’t have any
extra money to buy them.
But thanks to generous donors like you, our Patient
Special Needs Fund was there to help.
The fund helps pay for basic essentials. This can
include assistance with rent, phone or utility bills,
food, and clothes. It’s truly a lifesaver for many
patients and families.
Because of you, Ann has a new pair of pajamas to keep
her warm and cozy. She thanks you!
Lydia was able to use money from our Patient Special
Needs Fund to buy a pair of warm, cozy pajamas for Ann.
When she showed Ann the pajamas, Ann couldn’t believe it.
“She was so grateful and happy and kept hugging me and
saying, ‘Thank you, thank you, Lydia, for caring for me for
I have no one.’ She held my hand and squeezed it tight.”
You made a huge difference in Ann’s life! Thank you!
100% of the money in the Patient Special Needs Fund
comes from donations. That means that without you, Ann
would not have gotten the warm pajamas she needed. But
because of you, she is comfortable and warm. Thank you for
helping Ann and other patients like her!
How will you be remembered?
Leaving a gift in your will to Providence Hospice
of Seattle is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. A chance
to ensure that people who are facing terminal
illness and grief get the support and comfort they
need. Even after you’re gone.
And for your kindness, we’ll always remember
you. To learn how easy it is to leave a gift in
your will to Providence Hospice of Seattle, call
Gary Crum at 206-749-7801 or email him at
[email protected]
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Correction: In our December newsletter, the cover story about Joanne Almvig states
that she’s an only child. She actually has two siblings. We apologize for the error.
Journeys is a publication of
Providence Hospice of Seattle
Foundation
425 Pontius Avenue North,
Suite 300
Seattle, WA 98109
Telephone: 206-320-7188
Email: hospicefoundation@
providence.org
Web: www.providence.org/
hospiceofseattle
Ways to make
a difference
It’s easy to support
Providence Hospice
of Seattle
• Donate online.
You’ll make a difference
today! Visit www.providence.
org/hosdonate.
• Give in Memory. Giving in memory of a loved
one is a perfect way to honor
that special person, and bring
comfort to a terminally ill
person in need.
• Give in Celebration. Consider asking your friends
and family to celebrate
your birthday by donating
to Providence Hospice of
Seattle in lieu of gifts.
• Get your church, workplace,
or club involved. Hold a
bake sale, raffle, or other
fun event to raise money
for Providence Hospice of
Seattle (and have some fun
along the way). For more
information, call Gary Crum
at 206-749-7801.
Quilters: Share
your gift with
grieving kids
D
o you have fabric that you don’t need?
Cotton batting that’s sitting around
your house collecting dust? Or are you a
quilter who’d like to help grieving kids?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, we need your help.
Each year, a group of local quilters makes
a quilt for each of the kids and teens at our
annual grief camp for kids. The quilts bring
the kids a tremendous amount of comfort
during the weekend away from their family. In fact, many of them keep the quilts on
their beds at home for years afterward. It’s a
bright reminder of their loved one and the
support they got from the friends they made
at camp. One mom wrote us to say, “My son
loves to cozy up with his quilt! It is a yearlong reminder for him that people care.”
We need fabric (100% quilting cotton and
we’d love bright, bold colors), cotton batting
Myra’s story
continued from page 1
Someone to talk to and listen
She contacted Providence Hospice of
Seattle and was referred to our Transitions
program.
Transitions helps people who don’t yet
qualify for hospice. The staff monitor
clients’ health, facilitate communication
with doctors, find other resources in the
community to help clients, and provide
overall emotional and spiritual support.
Volunteer quilters donate handmade quilts to the
kids and teens at Camp Erin®-King County. A
mom of a former camper wrote us to say, “My
son loves to cozy up to his quilt! It is a yearlong
reminder for him that people care.”
(80/20 type), and quilters to ensure that this
year’s campers each get a quilt of their own.
If you can help, please contact Chris Olson
at [email protected] or 206-749-7689.
The program has been a lifesaver for
Myra. And without your donations, it
wouldn’t be available.
“Providence’s Transitions program has
been wonderful. They come to my house,
which is so important, because it’s hard
for me to leave. I can ask them anything.
I’ve been able to talk to them about death
and dying, which I think about a lot.
There’s really no one else for me to talk to
about these really difficult topics. They’ve
also provided me with names of other
organizations that can help me, like a
house cleaning service.”
Without Transitions, Myra would be a
lot lonelier. “They listen,” she said.
• Find us on Facebook.
You’ll connect with other
Hospice supporters online!
Visit www.facebook.com/
providencehospiceofseattle.
Your gifts are helping Myra cope with
her progressive illness and the loss of her
independence. You’re making her life a
little easier. Because Transitions is funded
100% by donations, Myra wouldn’t be
getting this critical support without you.
Myra’s beloved dog, Molly. She’s full of love
and joy, and helps brighten Myra’s days.
Thank you!
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Profiles in Hope
NAME:
Tristana Leist
HOME:
Sammamish
FAMILY:
Dad Karl, and older brother in college
AFFECTED BY:
Death of her mom when she was 6 years old
QUALIFIED FOR:
Camp Erin®-King County
Because of you, teen found light in the darkness
How Tristana Learned About Camp Erin®-King County:
My mom died from cancer in 2003. I was six years old.
My brother was nine. We were completely distraught.
My dad didn’t know what to do. One of the carpool moms
from school told my dad about Providence Hospice of
Seattle’s Camp Erin®-King County. I went to camp in
2004 and again last year. Camp changed my life!
How Camp Has Helped:
I tend to play the “mom role” with my friends and in
life, in general. At camp, I didn’t have to do that. It was
so nice to be supported there. I realized I’m still a kid.
I don’t have to have it all together. The most important
thing camp did for me is teach me that it’s okay to cry,
it’s okay to feel. Having stuff bottled up doesn’t do
anyone any good.
When I went to camp the first time, I learned I deserve
a childhood. When I went last year, I learned I can be
happy. I can talk about my mom.
Where Tristana Would Be Without Camp:
It’s so scary to think about where I’d be without camp.
Camp Erin is a light when it’s very, very dark. It
would have taken years for me to get where I am
today. I would be a very different person. Camp helped
me realize that my mom dying wasn’t my fault.
Camp kind of molded me. It has brought a lot of
opportunities into my life.
My Gift to Help Terminally Ill and Grieving People in Need
Yes, I will help make sure hospice care and grief support are available for adults and kids.
I have enclosed a generous gift of:
$25 $50
$100
$1,000
$_________
Name_________________________________________________________
Address________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
City___________________________State_______Zip Code____________
Email _______________________
I have included hospice in my will.
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Mail to:
Providence Hospice of Seattle Foundation
425 Pontius Ave N, #300
Seattle, WA 98109
DONATE NOW!
Visit www.providence.org/hosdonate
NLMAR15