BRYAN, Texas — It’s hard to think about having a loved one in hospice care, much less celebrating the holidays while that loved one is being treated.
This year several local politicians, nonprofits and businesses have come together to support eight hospice families for Thanksgiving.
Local nonprofit Hospice Brazos Valley has teamed up with several organizations such as Visiting Angels and Signature Care Emergency Room; and local politicians like Sen. Charles Schwertner and Rep. John Raney; to put together eight Thanksgiving meal baskets, which will accompany eight-holiday hams from Bryan Mayor Andrew Nelson.
The baskets, full of Thanksgiving foods and home goods, will be delivered to one select family from each of eight regional hospice centers.
“The last thing you want to have to do is worry about is cooking and trying to serve food to the rest of the family," said Suzanne Badger, spokesperson for Hospice Brazos Valley.
Badger knows what it feels like to have a loved one in hospice care, as her own mother died in hospice just a few months ago.
She understands what it means to receive gestures just like these baskets.
“This just gives [families] peace of mind as they’re going through this," said Badger. "And for me personally, it really was a comfort to have people come alongside me while my mom was on hospice services, and just to tell me that they loved me and cared about my mom and our family.”
Wednesday morning representatives from the hospice centers will pick up the baskets and deliver them to their chosen families.
It’s a tradition that’s been going on for several years now, started first by Visiting Angels director Claudia Massie.
“Our owners, who are wonderful Christian men, asked us to just reach out to the community and see who could help and pitch in," Massie said. "And we did, and a handful of sponsors came together to make sure the tradition not only stayed alive, but just exploded."
Massie and Badger aim to expand the program and reach more and more families every year.
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