When Community Connections Bring Comfort to Hospice Families
Sometimes, a meaningful contribution to hospice care begins with something as simple as a friendship.
Recently, Michelle Bressette, Quality Coordinator for Care Synergy, reconnected with her dear friend and colleague from Iliff School of Theology, potter Jessa Decker-Smith. Through their connection, Michelle learned that Jessa had recently crafted more than 40 handmade urns and was hoping to find families who could use them.
Jessa wanted the urns to go to people in need rather than simply sit unused. Michelle immediately thought of The Denver Hospice and reached out to see whether the organization could help connect Jessa's generosity with hospice families.
The answer was yes.
The Denver Hospice team is now quickly identifying families who can use these beautiful, handmade urns as a final resting place for someone they love.
A gift of artistry and compassion
An urn is much more than a container. For families who have lost someone they love, it can become part of the rituals and memories surrounding a person's final resting place. Having a beautiful, thoughtfully crafted urn can add another meaningful element to that experience.
Jessa's willingness to donate more than 40 of her creations means that families will have the opportunity to receive something made with care and intention at a time when they may be facing significant emotional and financial challenges.
We are incredibly grateful to Jessa for sharing her talent and generosity with hospice families.
We are also grateful to Michelle for recognizing that her personal connection with Jessa could become something much bigger. By reaching out to The Denver Hospice, Michelle helped create a bridge between someone who wanted to give and families who could benefit from that generosity.
The power of community
This story is a wonderful example of how community connections can make a positive difference in hospice work.
Hospice is deeply rooted in community. It takes nurses, physicians, social workers, chaplains, volunteers, caregivers, families, community organizations, artists, friends and neighbors — people from many different walks of life — to create the network of support that surrounds patients and families.
Sometimes, that support comes through professional expertise. Sometimes it comes through a donation, a volunteer's time or a listening ear. And sometimes, it comes through a friend who knows someone with a generous heart and thinks, "I know where this could make a difference."
That is exactly what happened here.
Thank you to Jessa for her beautiful work and incredible generosity. And thank you to Michelle for making the connection that helped bring Jessa's gift to families who can use it.
It is a beautiful reminder that when our communities come together, even a simple connection can become a meaningful source of comfort.
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