Our patient, Mary, celebrated her 100th birthday recently while in our care. Over 80 people attended her party at Botsford Commons, including family and friends. As an MSU grad with a degree in physical education and a former dance instructor, Mary had a bit of advice when pressed about the secret to making it to 100 years old: "Exercise!" But before you take Mary's advice and go start a workout, take a look at these fun photos from Mary's party. Mary makes her grand entrance Mary gets a gift from her Angela Hospice social worker, Becca

While the winds were cold and bitter, the hearts of all who attended were warmed at the dedication of Angela Hospice’s new Veterans Memorial on Tuesday, November 13. The American Legion Post 32 Honor Guard performed a moving flag folding ceremony, and “Taps” rang out in the distance. Father John Kaul performed the blessing of the memorial, and the ceremony closed with a lovely rendition of “God Bless America” led by music therapist Heather Dean. A luncheon followed for all in attendance. It was a beautiful ceremony paying tribute to veterans and their families. Angela Hospice cared for over 400 veterans last year, and actively participates in the We Honor Veterans initiative, providing specialized care for veterans at the end of life. Families of the veterans Angela Hospice has cared for will now have the opportunity to remember their loved one with an engraved plaque showing their name and branch of service on the wall surrounding the memorial. The memorial is located just in f...

Norma Cumbo was grateful for the help of the  Angela  Hospice Care Center when her mom,  Patricia,  needed more specialized care. Norma said, "It was  a relief because  I  remember  feeling like, ' I can  be her  daughter again.  I don't  have to be her  caregiver. ' "  Norma Cumbo is an only child. But when her mom got sick, she felt the support of family all around her – from her kids; her partner, Doug; her cousin Patty, who is like a sister; her co-workers at Madonna University; and the team at Angela Hospice. After spending most of 2017 going to different doctors and specialists, Norma’s mom, Patricia Bonanno, learned it was a MRSA infection that was affecting the artificial knee joint she’d had placed 30 years prior. But after six weeks of IV antibiotics, the infection came right back. “We knew that there was no cure for it,” Norma said. “She was in a lot of pain, so that’s when we made...

When you purchase the Gift of Giving Ornament for $7.99 at Little Green Apple Hallmark, you'll receive 20% off of your In-Store Purchase, plus Angela Hospice will receive a donation!  Our friends at Little Green Apple, located at Six Mile and Newburgh in the Busch's plaza, are offering this special deal from Tuesday, November 20th to Sunday, November 25th   (Closed Thanksgiving Day) So stop by and  pick up this cute ornament – the gift that gives back! 37331 Six Mile Rd  (Corner of 6 Mile Rd. and Newburgh in Livonia)  734-542-9320 Limited time offer. While supplies last.  May not be combined with other offers or promotions. See store for additional details.  

The holidays are just around the corner, but for many families, this year will be different, because someone they love is gone. Angela Hospice knows the holidays are an especially difficult time for people who are grieving, but our special donor-funded workshops can offer help and support for adults and children. "During the Christmas season it's really, really hard for a child to grieve," said Debbie Vallandingham, a bereavement social worker at Angela Hospice. Debbie will lead the Children’s Holiday Workshop on Sunday, December 2, from 2-4 p.m. She said parents often want to shield their children from grief, but that can actually make it harder for children to grieve. The workshop helps to open up communication as the children work to make a holiday wreath in memory of their loved one. Social Worker Debbie Vallandingham (right) and therapy dog Piper with the Richards family. "What it allows the parent and the child to do is come together in an at...

Debbie Bennett was called to be a steadfast wife to husband Thomas and a devoted mother to their  children, Christopher, Kelly, and Robin. She has relied on God to get through the hard times her family has faced, and has been grateful that Angela Hospice was there too, when she really needed support. Robin & Chris In 1989, at the age of 12, Christopher, her oldest child, was diagnosed with a rare neurological disease called Friedreich's Ataxia (FA). Chris was a smart and funny music-lover, and accomplished artist who was beloved by his family and many friends. By his junior year in high school, he began to use a wheelchair. As with many diseases of the nervous system, there has never been a cure or effective treatment for FA. Debbie and her family enlisted Angela Hospice's help to care for Chris before he passed away in 2004. He was just 26 years old. "I didn't know what to expect...hospice comes in and does so much more than care for a sick person, they...

Bill is surrounded by three of his four children at the American Legion Hall in Melvindale, Michigan. "I don't deserve this," said 92-year-old Angela Hospice home care patient Bill Heitman as he walked into his surprise tribute and pinning ceremony that Angela Hospice volunteers planned in his honor. The event took place at the Melvindale, Michigan, American Legion. Many of his friends and family gathered to honor this gentleman. After  serving in the United States Navy in World War II and serving more than 20 years as Chaplain at his American Legion post, Bill does deserve this honor and much more. For more than 40 years, Bill served the American Legion and the Veterans Administration as a volunteer. He and his wife, Helen, brought up 4 children, Keith, Gary, Brian, and Cheryl, who are immensely proud of their parents. Bill is so humble that while working as a divisional forms representative at Ford Motor Company he learned that when you earned a co...

Two of Angela Hospice’s volunteers have given our patients and families a wonderful gift: a beautiful butterfly garden on the grounds of the Angela Hospice Care Center. It’s meant to be more than just something pretty to look at. It’s a place to experience nature in a way that can soothe the soul. (Like most of our selfless volunteers, these two weren’t looking for any recognition when they made this generous gesture, and in fact, they wish to remain anonymous. So let’s call them Oliver and Eve.) It was Oliver who first had the idea for a butterfly garden. He had been reading about native plants, and one day when he was working at the Care Center, the idea struck him: what about installing a butterfly garden at Angela Hospice? “If you’ve ever had something really sad happen in your life and you’re kind of just sitting there contemplating it, you notice the simplest things, things you never would have noticed before,” Oliver said. “And I think that’s what gives you peace. T...

Angela Hospice doesn't have a magic lamp, but we were able to grant a wish for one very sick local grandmother with glioblastoma, enabling her to spend some time with her family in a setting that has always made her happy. Linda, who turned 70 in March, raised a happy family of four just outside Detroit with her husband Pete. That family grew to 23 with marriages and the addition of 13 grandchildren. They instilled family loyalty that included a love of family gatherings and a healthy sense of humor. So when Linda was diagnosed with a brain tumor last October, the family rallied the troops. “It was so hard to comprehend because other than what we thought was bronchitis, she was just fine,” recalled Linda’s sister Debbie Scott. But by January, the effects of the disease and were hard to ignore. The insidious brain tumor, the same kind John McCain had, was difficult to treat with surgery because it spreads like tendrils through the brain. The family decided on a treatment plan ...

    Gale Loger (far left) created Team Darrell in memory of her      husband. With over 400 individuals already registered for this year’s Walk of Remembrance, the eleventh annual event promises to be as impactful as ever. For those who have never attended, the walk is an inspirational event centered around a 2.2-mile path throughout the Felician Grounds, from Madonna University to Angela Hospice. Those who have attended often come back year after year. Gale Loger is one walker who will be returning this year. Her husband, Darrell, had spent eight days   in Angela Hospice’s Care Center before he passed in July 2017. Last year was her first time walking, and she found that family and close friends were eager to join her. They formed “Team Darrell” in his memory. “We feel that it’s the least we can do after what Angela Hospice did for Darrell,” Gale said. “Angela Hospice took great care of him.” As Team Darrell, Gale and her family were a...