Hospice is not an easy subject to think about, but for every one of us there comes a time when our chapter ends and our book closes. This can be an incredibly scary time of life to think about, let alone plan for yourself or your loved ones. It isn’t until most people are living the reality of it, that they become aware of the choices available to them or their loved ones when facing a life-limiting illness.

Hospice Friends was an idea born in 1983 by Enid Gage who tragically and helplessly witnessed her sister’s husband lose his battle with cancer with little emotional support and no community resources available. Peg Rowbotham was the cofounder, who cared for terminal cancer patients at Kittitas Valley Community Hospital (now KVH). These patients and their families had no support emotionally, physically, or financially when they were given the terrifying news that they only had only 6 months to live by their physicians. The two courageous women were brought together through the tragedy and created a vision of love and opportunity in our community. Peg and Enid worked to fill the void of support that existed in our community to create a network to provide resources to patients and families for end-of-life care. Hospice Friends was born, it was born with the strong belief that the quality of life was vitally important when the quantity of life was limited. Peg and Enid set out with a vision, a hope, and their servant hearts to create an organization to support Hospice patients. They shared their dream with friends and business associates and formed a board of dedicated and knowledgeable cohorts. This visionary team, Peg and Enid, formed a close relationship with Kittitas Valley Community Hospital, where they secured their first in-kind donation, an office to operate out of. Hospice Friends began providing limited services that year to hospice patients in the hospital. They served 12 patients and their families during their first year with limited financial resources and only began scratching the service of the Kittitas County community need. Their philosophy continues to guide Hospice Friends today, as we have developed into a much larger organization that offers a variety of programs to our community. We have continued to foster and grow our relationship with Kittitas Valley Hospital over the years and now serve as the volunteer resource for Kittitas Valley Hospital Hospice. KVH has provided unwavering support to Hospice Friends to ensure the program has a home where we can operate with minimal facility costs and a partnership that assists Hospice Friends financially through grants and donations as major donor. Hospice Friends continues to flourish and grow annually providing services to over 800 clients that utilize some or all our programs offered. Our gracious volunteers provide their time to over 200 hospice patients per year in Kittitas County sitting bedside, playing music, reminiscing, playing card games, or simply just providing a loving, compassionate touch when the patient is most vulnerable. Hospice Friends programs now include the Kindred Friends Program (Patient Care Volunteers), Nutritional Supplement Program, Incontinence Supply Program, Durable Medical Equipment Program, and Bereavement Services Program. Our programs are heavily utilized, and we are continuing to grow each program by offering more support within our scope. Each program is reliant on volunteer support whether it be serving the client directly or assisting with the administration of each program. Without volunteers, Hospice Friends would not be able to provide the services to patients and families that we do. Every minute counts, every kind act counts, every personal interaction counts when time is running out. Volunteers are not only the heart of Hospice Friends, but they are also the blood supply and the heartbeat of this organization.

27th Annual Tree of Love

By Hospice Friends DBA Hearts & Hands of Kittitas County

27th Annual Tree of Love

Hal Holmes Community Center - December 1st, 2023