• What: 13th annual Hospice Walk
• When: Saturday, June 14,
registration at 9 a.m., walk at 10:30 a.m.
• Where: Siena College
• How much: Based on funds raised
• Info: www.walk4hospice.org
There is a lot that goes into hospice services beyond providing care for the terminally ill. The Community Hospice also offers support to loved ones — young and old — who are grieving, and it’s fundraisers like the annual Hospice Walk that help pay for these programs.
The 13th annual Hospice Walk will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 14, at Siena College, with more than 1,500 walkers and volunteers expected to participate. It’s one the top 15 fundraisers in the Capital District and is projected to raise $190,000 this year. Day-of registration for the two-mile walk opens at 9 a.m.
The longevity of the walk can be attributed to the many people that use the services of Community Hospice and its outreach the program.
“The Community Hospice is one of the largest nonprofit hospice programs in the country. It serves patients across the Capital Region, and not only do we serve the patients, but we have programs and services to support family, friends and loved ones,” said Rob Puglisi, director of marketing and communications for Community Hospice. “We care for more than 4,300 patients each year in the greater Capital Region.”
The money raised from the walk is spread across the program in an effort to make care as close to free as they can.
“The money really goes to help provide programs and services,” said Puglisi. “We never turn away a patient due to their inability to pay. Nearly every patient pays nothing, with no out-of-pocket cost for hospice care. Generally, either Medicare, Medicaid insurance, or Community Hospice foundation pays the cost.”
Julia Hayden, foundation specialist for the walk, said that not only does money generated from the walk help out a good cause, but it is also a fun way to get family and friends involved.
“As a walker, you can go online and register at www.walk4hospice.org and there you can join as a walker, join a team or start a team. It allows you to reach out to family, friends co-workers and alert them you are walking for hospice and start your own fundraiser page,” said Hayden.
Once a participant creates a webpage, a thermometer helps them track their fundraising goals.
“You can put pictures on there and tell your story, and a lot of people use Facebook. You can come to the walk and raise money. There are many ways to raise money, and we make it easy,” said Hayden.
Community Hospice coverage spans the entire Capital District.
“We provide services in people’s homes, whether in the city or a rural area, whether they live in apartments. We also care for people in nursing homes and hospitals, work with almost every local nursing home to provide support to residents who are seriously ill, so no matter where you are, you can access the services of Community Hospice, said Puglisi.
While hospice is mostly known for the work it does with people who are terminally ill, it goes the extra distance to help children who have lost a family member.
“We help children and teenagers who have lost someone they love, whether it be a sibling, parent or friend. We have a lot of special bereavement programs,” said Puglisi. “We do an annual camp — Camp Erin — specifically for children grieving a loss. We don’t charge anything for bereavement services. The loved one didn’t even have to be a Community Hospice patient. We have groups or one-on-one treatment.”
Puglisi said hospice workers go to the extra mile to help patients in need.
“Hospice care is available 24/7 and even holidays. Someone is always available.
Our nurses are famous for trekking out in the middle of snowstorms, ice storms, thunderstorms,” said Puglisi. “If a patient needs us at 3 o’clock in morning we’ll get somebody there.”
The symbiotic relationship between the community and Community Hospice is what keeps the whole thing going. Without the money raised by events like the June 14 walk, Community Hospice wouldn’t be able to help all the people it does.
“We’re lucky the community supports us because we couldn’t do what we do without that. Our whole focus is on providing the best possible quality of life so our patients can live everyday to fullest extent possible,” said Puglisi.
There is no registration fee to walk. Walkers who want to receive a T-shirt and lunch provided by Dinosaur BBQ need to raise at least $75.
“That’s pretty easy — ask eight friends and family for $10,” said Hayden.