1110 35th Lane Vero Beach, Florida 32960 772.567.5551 www.vnatc.com/annualappeal Board of Directors Founder Ann Marie McCrystal Chairman Carol M. Kanarek Vice Chairmen John J. Campione Kathleen R. Pierce Treasurer W. Andrew White Secretary Lala Maresi Directors Anne Stubbs Cooney James Currie Anthony J. Donadio Ann J. Jones Thomas C. Lee, Jr. John W. Mitchell Patricia S. Moore (1937-2005) Marta Schneider Emily Sherwood William J. Stewart Sue Tompkins Interim CEO / Vice President Foundation Wendy O Neil Dear friend, Your generosity is the force behind the mission of the VNA & Hospice Foundation to provide home health and hospice care to individuals in Indian River County who have no means to pay. Your support will enable the VNA to provide innovative and preventative programs for our community for which insurance will not pay. Your contribution will also ensure bereavement support through our hospice program at no cost to grieving families. Your donation will provide the VNA with cutting edge technology and professional training because you know that healthcare must be excellent. Your gift will make quality healthcare and hope possible for residents in our community. We are grateful to you for supporting the good work we do. Through the generosity of friends like you, we meet the needs of society s most vulnerable citizens. Please help the VNA once again provide quality care with a community heart. Thank you for your kind consideration of our request to support our 2014 Annual Appeal. Sincerely, Carol Kanarek Kathie Pierce Chairman Foundation Chairman Annual Appeal A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL FREE (800) 435-7352 WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. CH3553 If you wish to update your mailing address or would like to be removed from our mailing list, please call 772.978.5586 or e-mail csmith@vnatc.com. Comprehensive Healthcare. We re There.
2014 Annual Appeal VNA & Hospice Foundation A Lifetime of Caring
One of the joys of being chairman of the VNA & Hospice Foundation is getting to know some of the patients we serve and some of the VNA s wonderful healthcare professionals who serve them. I recently visited with Cherie Stannard, an amazing woman who the VNA has had the privilege of helping recover from a car accident that left her paralyzed from the neck down. Her spirit and determination has humbled me and made me so grateful to be part of an organization that helps people like Cherie.
I am so grateful to be part ofan organization that helps people like Cherie. - Carol Kanarek
We have always We have always come to the aid of people come to who the aid have of home people healthcare and hospice needs, including those who have home health without insurance or other means to pay. care and hospice needs, including those without insurance or other means to pay. Last year, the VNA, through our charitable care program, provided Cherie with physical therapy and other services. In September, the VNA & Hospice Foundation purchased for her a stand-assist device that allows her to transfer from her wheelchair to a standing position. Not long ago, I joined Cherie s sister, Sue, and members of Cherie s care team, to watch as Cherie tried out the device. Being able to stand, promotes more healthy conversations between my nerves, my brain, my muscles, Cherie said. This allows all that conversation to happen more clearly now.
Just as her body was helped by the mechanical device, so was her spirit. It just increases that belief that I am on the right track, Cherie said. Eventually she wants to begin encouraging others who have suffered similar injuries. I want to help people and families who have been in my position. I want to get the word out to people (that they) need not give up, but believe in yourself. In a spinal cord injury, you can t stop trying. The VNA staff has always come to the aid of people who have home healthcare and hospice care needs, including those without insurance or other means to pay. But only with your partnership, with your support, can we continue to help those in need in our wonderful community. None of us can truly fathom the mountain-sized challenges Cherie has faced and still faces. But all of us can share in the joy of her progress. We can be thankful that we have been blessed in a way that allows us to respond to the opportunity we have to reach out to those who face difficult health challenges.
One of the feelings Bill Ahrens will always remember about the passing of his wife, Katie, is the atmosphere of sincerity and loving care, that surrounded her at the VNA Hospice House.
Mr. Ahrens was greatly moved not only by the superb care Katie received from the VNA Hospice staff, he was also moved by how everyone accommodated Katie s family who gathered from all parts of the country. It was the welcoming of Katie s family that stood out, he said. We were all together. They were so grateful for the opportunity to spend that last time with Katie. We all met there in the hospice house. Her friends dropped by. She loved it, she really loved it. Ahrens said of his wife of nearly seven years. I was even able to bring in her favorite hairdresser. Katie was a beautiful woman and she still is wherever she may be. An international architect who has designed medical facilities, Mr. Ahrens is captivated by the thought that went into the design of the 12-bed inpatient Hospice House. Its large patient rooms have plenty of space for a spouse or other relative to sleep, and chairs for visitors during the day. It has a library, spacious lobbies where people can gather, and even a room for visiting children. It is beautifully done. The concept is terrific, he said. In my book, as an architect, it was a wonderful solution. There is no institutional feeling about it at all. It is completely residential.
He also knows the pain of losing two deeply loved wives. Both were people of devout faith and generous to charitable causes. Joyce, his first wife of 54 years, would have been at the VNA Hospice House as well. Ill with lung cancer for about six weeks, her health declined quickly and she died the night before she was to have been admitted, he said. We all know we are going to go. It is just how you go that is important. You must make the most of the time you have left, Mr. Ahrens said. Hospice helps make that possible. In Katie s honor, the 36-member area chapter of the Knights and Dames of Malta donated $5,000 to Hospice House. The Knight and Dames of Malta, a religious service organization, are devoted to the care of the sick... Mr. Ahrens, Joyce, and Katie were members. Katie would have been proud to have that money dedicated to hospice, so that hospice will continue to be available to everyone, Ahrens said.
Hospice helps make the most of the time you have left, and lets you spend that time with family and friends.
You don t know until you are in need, how important hospice is, Todd Marchant said of his mother s three-week stay in the VNA Hospice House.
The death of his mother, well known Vero Beach business woman and bridge enthusiast, Susan Smith Ritter, gave his family an inside look at VNA Hospice, a service that Todd and his wife, Deana, believe the community should treasure and never be without. His mother and the entire family were grateful, he said, for the unselfish service of the nurses, other staffers, and volunteers. They also appreciated the Hospice House itself with its quiet places for the family to gather and spend time with Ms. Ritter and with each other. Children of the family took advantage of the welcoming play room when they came to visit. Family members were particularly thankful, he said, to be able to sleep nights in a special recliner near Ms. Ritter during her final days. The quality of care made his mother s last few weeks more comfortable, and for that, the family is most appreciative. During that time, a hospice bereavement counselor met with the family to help them through the grieving process, paying particular attention to the children. We are very fortunate in this community to have VNA Hospice care and the VNA Hospice House, added Deana Marchant, Todd s wife.
If we had not had hospice for the last weeks of her life, it would have been very difficult and not nearly as easy a transition for her and for us, Mr. Marchant, 47, said. The nurses were very helpful, not only in keeping her comfortable but in educating the family on what to expect as she approached death, Mr. Marchant added. It is tough to comprehend the process, especially when it s your mother. They made it easier for us to understand. For 19 years, Mrs. Marchant was Ms. Ritter s business partner in Sassy Boutique, a popular beachside women s store. Ms. Ritter was also well known for her prowess at the bridge table. Following Ms. Ritter s death, 83 people made memorial contributions of $8,780 to the VNA in her honor. Later, 101 of her friends met, opened their hearts, and celebrated her life in spades with a memorial bridge tournament that raised another $6,715 for the VNA. I think she would have been honored and humbled by the fact that so many people donated to the VNA & Hospice Foundation in her name, Mrs. Marchant, 46, said.
The hospice nurses were very helpful, educating the family on what to expect. They made it easier for us to understand.
WhenNashonda Monroe speaks of her VNA nurses, and other clinicians, she does it lovingly with words like very caring very patient highly skilled.
She didn t know it at the time, but today she believes she was almost at death s door when a VNA nurse s routine blood draw started a chain of events that ended with an emergency trip to the hospital and several units of blood. Today, Ms. Monroe credits the VNA nurse with saving her life. Because if I had waited another day or two, who is to say that I would have been here today, Ms. Monroe said. Ms. Monroe, who has been a VNA patient three times for differing problems during the past two years, suffered from a bleeding disorder last January. Because of the condition of her veins, it was difficult to draw blood, she said. Her VNA nurse drew the blood and took it to a lab that sent the results quickly to Ms. Monroe s doctor. The blood test revealed that two important blood markers were dangerously low, she said, prompting her doctor to send her to the emergency department immediately. Ms. Monroe has also had to deal with diabetes, a blood clot in her leg, and other conditions. Besides medical care, the VNA provided Ms. Monroe with specialized physical therapy.
Partly because of her medical condition and partly because of her obesity, Ms. Monroe has great difficulty getting around. But her physical therapy has helped make her more mobile. When Ms. Monroe speaks of her VNA nurses, and other clinicians, she does it lovingly with words like very caring very patient highly skilled. Born and raised in Indian River County, Ms. Monroe has eight brothers and sisters, 27 nieces and nephews, and 13 great nieces and nephews. Without private insurance or ability to pay for her medical care, Ms. Monroe s home healthcare is paid for through the VNA & Hospice Foundation s Medicaid-Eligible Patient Care Program, which is part of the agency s charitable care effort that helps multiple patients each year. Ms. Monroe s gratitude extends beyond the VNA s clinicians and goes to the donors who support the VNA s charitable care efforts. To them she says, thank you very much. God bless you. I did not have the funds for this.
My gratitude extends to the donors who made my care possible. Thank you very much, and God bless you.
Help us continue to provide charitable healthcare in our community. Many residents of our community are experiencing the most financially challenging period of their lifetime. A steadily increasing number are in need of home health and hospice care, but have limited or no financial resources. The VNA & Hospice Foundation continues to be committed to meeting the health care needs of these deserving individuals, but we need your help! Your tax deductible gift to the VNA & Hospice Foundation s Annual Appeal will help provide critical funding for charitable home health and hospice care services in Indian River County. Your contributions make it possible for our team of nurses, clinical specialists, therapists, bereavement counselors, and social workers to provide quality compassionate care to ALL of our patients and their families. Please join us in our commitment.
We thank our donors for their compassion and belief in giving hope to those less fortunate.
1110 35th Lane Vero Beach, FL 32960 772.567.5551 800.749.5760 www.vnatc.com 100 percent of contributions received are retained by the Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice Foundation, Inc. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 800.435.7352 WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. Please write us at our address if you wish to have your name removed from the mailing list to receive fundraising requests to support the Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice Foundation, Inc. in the future. CH3553
Your gift ensures that the VNA will continue to care for all those in need, regardless of their ability to pay. Together we provide more than $2.4 million in charitable home health, hospice, and wellness services each year. Detach and enclose in envelope with payment, or donate securely online at www.vnatc.com/annualappeal Yes, I want to help provide comprehensive healthcare for those in need in Indian River County. My contribution is (check one): Annual Appeal Leadership Giving Platinum Level $5,000+ Silver Level $1,000 $2,499 Copper Level $250 $499 Gold Level $2,500 $4,999 Bronze Level $500 $999 Donors at these levels receive recognition in the VNA Annual Appeal Membership Log. Other $ Every gift matters! Thank You Please make your check payable to the VNA & Hospice Foundation Please charge my credit card $ Visa MC AmEx Account number Exp. date Print name Please check the appropriate boxes: r We prefer our gift to remain anonymous. r My employer supports a matching gift program. Company Name r I have remembered the VNA & Hospice Foundation in my estate plans. r I would like information about estate planning opportunities. Please help us make sure we have the most current information: Summer Address: City, State, Zip: Phone: During the months of to E-Mail Address: If you are considering including the Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice Foundation of Vero Beach, Florida in your estate plans, here are two examples of suggested wording: I bequeath to the Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice Foundation, Inc. of Vero Beach, Florida, or its successors, the sum of $ for its charitable uses and purposes. I bequeath to the Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice Foundation, Inc. of Vero Beach, Florida, or its successors, % of my residuary estate for its charitable uses and purposes. 1110 35th Lane Vero Beach, FL 32960 772.567.5551 www.vnatc.com 100 percent of contributions received are retained by the Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice Foundation, Inc. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 800.435.7352 WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. Please write us at our address if you wish to have your name removed from the mailing list to receive fundraising requests to support the Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice Foundation, Inc. in the future. CH3553