Sometimes healing has no words. Sometimes it’s a color. After the death of Barbara Coleman’s adult daughter, Cherie, words weren’t available. They fled from her. “I had always journaled and written,” Barbara shared. “But there were no words for this. Not one word.” But inside the art studio at Mishawaka’s CHC building, Barbara’s story started...
When church after church refused to baptize a dying man, the Center for Hospice Care stepped in to help grant his last wish. Clyde Young just wanted to be baptized before AIDS and other illnesses take his life. Every church he called, however, turned him away, because he’s gay. When he finally found one in...
Georgia Dunbar, who sits quiet most days, her mind clouded with dementia, can still sing a few lines of her own song. There’s just something about music that digs deep into our memories. “Crying weeping willow, makes me feel so blue, Crying weeping willow, makes me weep for you. You were always planning willows wherever...
WWII veteran Wilbur Lewis came to us one day in the spring of 2016 with terminal cancer, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at him. He was described as a vibrant, “charismatic character” by his family – a man who loved life. Making the decision to bring in Center for Hospice Care for Wilbur...
What makes you excited to wake up every morning? What are you anxiously anticipating? It’s different for all of us. From fresh baked cookies, to riding a motorcycle on a sunny day, to sweet, quiet moments with loved ones, to attending eardrum blowing concerts of your favorite band. Life has endless possibilities for meaning and...
Danny has been dancing all his life. Hard to imagine that at the age of six, Danny was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. By the time he was 13-years-old, Danny’s mode of transportation was his wheelchair. Wheelchair or not, he kept on dancing. “It (his muscular dystrophy) wasn’t a big deal when I was younger,”...
Kay and Tom Tyler are not new to the area but will be wintering in Indiana for the first time in years. In fact, much of their family heritage is in the Niles area. Over their 65 years of marriage, they’ve lived in many places, ranging from the East Coast, to Switzerland to Ft. Wayne....
“Kenneth is my dad’s name,” Pete shared with me when I met him. Though his name is also Kenneth, he said it’s too formal for him. Pete suits him well. At 87 years old, his appetite for adventure and jokes is just as plentiful as ever, which is what led this Center for Hospice Care...
Quality of life isn’t necessarily anything huge or fancy. It’s always in the little things: memories, people, and moments. Sometimes it’s as simple as a few roses and a dance partner. For Joan Simmons, her happiest memories were on the dance floor. Waltzes made her feel graceful and free. She owes a “thank you” to...
