Good News Gathering, Hospice volunteers provide 'comfort bears' to area patients
Lead Summary
By
Caitlin Forsha-crforsha@gmail.com
A group of retired ladies in a Life group from Good News Gathering are providing care and support for people in their last days by making "comfort bears" for Hospice of Hope.
The comfort bears are given to hospice patients upon admission.
Pat Fields, a Hospice of Hope volunteer, and Sharon Fulkerson, a Hospice of Hope employee, recruited their group at church in March to help build these bears. The Life group meets one Monday per month at the home of Lynn Musser to work on the bears.
"Pat was a volunteer, I started as a volunteer, and then this group of ladies said that they would be happy to volunteer their services too to make these comfort bears here in Ohio," Fulkerson said.
According to Fulkerson, their comfort bears are distributed to patients in the Hospice of Hope - Ohio Valley region, which includes inpatient and home-health patients in Adams, Brown, Clermont, Clinton, Highland and Pike counties.
"It really means a lot, when we hear stories the chaplain [for Hospice of Hope] tells us," Fulkerson said. "We had a young man who died and he had two young children. The chaplain gave both of the children a bear, and at the funeral the little boy was holding his bear.
"Some of the stories they tell about patients passing on and holding their comfort bear … it's very touching."
According to Fulkerson, the group collects material with the help of other organizations, such as the Senior Center. Fabric donations are appreciated, and the group uses a wide variety of fabrics, including upholstery. To make a donation, Fulkerson can be reached at (937) 763-1831.
"The bottom line is the recipient of the comfort bear and what joy they might get … that's how this all started," Fulkerson said. "It's to give glory to the Lord, too, but we want to comfort people in their last days.
"It seems like such a trivial little thing, but those trivial things can mean a lot."[[In-content Ad]]
The comfort bears are given to hospice patients upon admission.
Pat Fields, a Hospice of Hope volunteer, and Sharon Fulkerson, a Hospice of Hope employee, recruited their group at church in March to help build these bears. The Life group meets one Monday per month at the home of Lynn Musser to work on the bears.
"Pat was a volunteer, I started as a volunteer, and then this group of ladies said that they would be happy to volunteer their services too to make these comfort bears here in Ohio," Fulkerson said.
According to Fulkerson, their comfort bears are distributed to patients in the Hospice of Hope - Ohio Valley region, which includes inpatient and home-health patients in Adams, Brown, Clermont, Clinton, Highland and Pike counties.
"It really means a lot, when we hear stories the chaplain [for Hospice of Hope] tells us," Fulkerson said. "We had a young man who died and he had two young children. The chaplain gave both of the children a bear, and at the funeral the little boy was holding his bear.
"Some of the stories they tell about patients passing on and holding their comfort bear … it's very touching."
According to Fulkerson, the group collects material with the help of other organizations, such as the Senior Center. Fabric donations are appreciated, and the group uses a wide variety of fabrics, including upholstery. To make a donation, Fulkerson can be reached at (937) 763-1831.
"The bottom line is the recipient of the comfort bear and what joy they might get … that's how this all started," Fulkerson said. "It's to give glory to the Lord, too, but we want to comfort people in their last days.
"It seems like such a trivial little thing, but those trivial things can mean a lot."[[In-content Ad]]