Day 94: Holy Family

Today’s story comes from a beautiful letter written to the editor of the Plain Dealer.  You can read the original post here.

Any family knows how hard it is to deal with a loved one who has been diagnosed with cancer.

Watching my mother fight this disease for the last three years has been very difficult for my family. With this burden on all of our shoulders, a blessing for not only my mother but the entire family was the care received at Holy Family Hospice located in Parma.

A smile stretched across my mother’s face when she knew Paula Jackson, social worker, and home nurse Monique Wright were on the way for a checkup. Not only did they make her feel better, but also provided my father with much comfort about the situation. Answering any questions, being available for phone calls at any given time, was a relief to all of us.

God bless my father for the care he gave my mother, for my brother and my three amazing sisters who never left her side as the time got worse.

As family members, we do not want a loved one to suffer, but the special people at Holy Family made the final days less painful.

From the clinical manager Joe Stupecki and to his whole staff, you are all unbelievable. Each and every one made my mother’s last few weeks very peaceful and much easier on my family. Thank you again to Jeff Moenich, Sheri Blazer, Sister Margaret-Mary, Father Simon, Theresa, Paul, Audrey, Annie and the rest of the staff at Holy Family. You truly are a gift from God.

Thank you.

Michael Arena and family

Valley City

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