Sister Mary Giovanni retires from Angela Hospice

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After nearly 30 years of dedicated service, Sister Mary Giovanni has retired from her work with Angela Hospice.
“In a way it is the end of an era,” said Angela Hospice President and CEO Margot Parr. “But Sister’s compassion and commitment to caring for the terminally ill continues to inspire us all.”
It was in 1985 that Sister Giovanni founded Angela Hospice with the help of the Felician Sisters. She had already spent 11 years researching holistic pain and symptom management, and was a registered nurse with a specialty in gerontology.
Under her leadership, Angela Hospice grew as a pioneer in the hospice movement, developing specialized programs for pediatric and prenatal hospice, and opening the first freestanding hospice facility in the state of Michigan. Her compassionate approach as a Felician Sister formed a caring organizational culture that permeates all levels of Angela Hospice’s programs and administration to this day.
Sister Giovanni addressed the staff and volunteers at her departure, saying, “There truly are no words to express to all of you how grateful I am for your dedicated service to our patients and families these past 30 years…. I have no doubt that Angela Hospice will continue to be the great program of care that it is.”
In fact, Angela Hospice has recently seen growth in its programs, just as hospice use has grown nationally. About 43-percent of Americans now use hospice services at the end of life, according to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.
Sister Giovanni’s long career in hospice care earned her the title of Visionary from the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, as they recognized the 30 most influential leaders in hospice and palliative medicine; as well as a spot in the National Association for Home Care and Hospice’s Home Care and Hospice Hall of Fame.
“Sister Giovanni will always be the foundress of Angela Hospice. She has changed the landscape of hospice, and we will continue her legacy going forward,” said Parr.

 Sister Giovanni left with a familiar word of encouragement for Angela Hospice’s 220 employees and 443 volunteers: “As I would always say at the end of our monthly staff meetings, ‘Go out and do something beautiful for God.’”

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