11-4-15 lovelight program to support hospice home expansion

Recent national statistics show that more than 1.6 million people receive hospice services each year, and that number is expected to climb as Baby Boomers continue to age and begin to face the end of their lifetimes.    Agnesian HealthCare’s Hospice Hope is already seeing this upswing, and is taking action thanks to the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation and community support to expand its Hospice Home of Hope residential facility, located at 400 County Road K in Fond du Lac (near St. Mary’s Springs Academy High School).  This year’s 2015 Love Light project, presented by the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation, will help add more private patient rooms at the Hospice Home of Hope, which will effectively address current waiting lists.  Punit Kumar, MD, Hospice & Palliative Care medical director, and Nidhi Kumar, MD, Consultants Laboratory medical director, are serving as this year’s Love Light co-chairpersons.      The Hospice Home of Hope first opened – thanks to Agnesian HealthCare Foundation funding – in spring 2000. The Hospice Home of Hope is a residential facility providing hospice care to individuals who are diagnosed with a terminal disease, have a life expectancy of less than six months and no longer wish to remain at home.    “There is so much good that happens at the Hospice Home of Hope, and that’s what people remember the most,” according to Dr. Punit Kumar. “Despite the intense emotional, spiritual, physical and psychosocial pain, there are very significant opportunities for growth and healing around the time of dying. In its purest sense, our mission is to help dying individuals and their loved ones seize those opportunities.”  Individuals can support Love Lights by purchasing a light in honor of someone they wish to remember or celebrate during the holiday season. This light will shine on the beautifully lit evergreen in front of Agnesian HealthCare.  The names of those honored and remembered will be displayed through the holiday season in the St. Agnes Hospital and Fond du Lac Regional Clinic lobby areas.  Love Lights can be purchased for $10 each at both the hospital and clinic information desks, 430 E. Division Street, or by calling the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation at (920) 926-4959 (charge by phone – MasterCard, Visa, American Express or Discover).  In addition, the Foundation also offers Angel Lights ($150 and above) for interested individuals. All donations of $150 and above will have a special designation on the ceremony program.  The public is invited to the 2015 Love Light Tree Lighting Ceremony at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 10 at the St. Agnes Hospital lobby.  For more information on this year’s Love Light project, call the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation at (920) 926-4959.