An Elvis fan wishing to visit Graceland. A 63-year-old man wishing for a laptop to complete his family tree. A mother and grandmother wishing to have a pizza party for more than 30 relatives. An avid car lover wishing to…
Since its establishment in 2012, the Sharing Wishes Fund has made a significant impact in the lives of many hospice patients and families in central Illinois. Whether it is a special family-and-friends gathering or a visit from a distant loved…
You get home from work. You drop your bag and finally sit down on the couch after having been on your feet all day. To rest feels good, but your legs do not. They are aching and your feet look…
“Laugh and the world laughs with you; snore and you sleep alone,” said British novelist Anthony Burgess, who may or may not have been speaking from experience. Lori Valentine, RN, respiratory therapist and director of Memorial’s Home Services Durable Medical…
Wiley Moore had a simple wish – to go to Red Lobster for dinner. Unfortunately, Wiley was bedbound because of stage 4 cancer that had spread to his spine and brain. Leaving his home was not possible. But, thanks to the…
Girls just want to have fun, and Dorothy Ferrara is no exception. Dorothy, a patient of Memorial Home Services Hospice, had mentioned to several staff members that she wanted to visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum. When Kelsi…
On a warm summer evening, with a sky as blue and clear as it comes, Carol Cray set off in a hot-air balloon to fulfill a longtime dream. “I’ve always wanted to glide and soar like an eagle,” she said…
In her 65 years, Sharon Mills of Hillsboro has never had a Christmas dress. A patient in Memorial’s Home Hospice program, Sharon confided to social worker Laurie Dobrinich and Hospice nurse Tom Culberson, RN, that all she wanted this holiday…
Wishes. They can be large in scale or elaborate in approach. But for Diane Huffines, a 72-year-old hospice patient with Memorial Home Services, her wish was simple: to relax – even if just for an hour. A simple visit to…
When Kent Hill’s wife of 32 years, Sandy, was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), an incurable nerve disease also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, he felt alone. With no nearby family and a spouse facing a terminal illness, Kent…