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Patients, Donors, Volunteers, and Staff Share Their Stories

VNA Care's mission is to provide the right care with kindness and compassion every day for every person we serve. We'll be sharing stories here about the ways our mission has made a difference in the lives of our patients and their loved ones, and what it means to our staff, volunteers, and donors who make this important work possible.

 

Family’s Charitable Support Honors Beloved Wife, Mother and Recognizes Extraordinary Care Provided by Rose Monahan Hospice Home Staff

When doctors shared there were no further treatments that would prolong Mary McKeon’s life, Don McKeon and his family had no doubt about what they could do to ensure his beloved wife and family received the care and support they needed in their final days together. (read more) 

 

Retired Nurse Heals from Physical, Emotional Trauma with Support and Encouragement of VNA Care’s Home Health Clinicians

It was just before dawn on that life-changing day, as Patricia Boyle returned home following a brief stay in the emergency room while undergoing tests for pain. She started up the first of two steps to her porch when she collapsed and hit her head on the ground. She managed to get up, but fell yet again. (read more) 

 

Family Cherishes “Long Goodbye” at Home with Beloved Husband, Father

VNA Care’s hospice team gave the Farrer family one last month together at home — filled with friends, laughter, and new memories they hold dear when reminiscing about their late father and husband who was larger than life. (read more) 

 

Physical Therapist Helps Patients Reach Healthcare Goals, Reclaim Lives

Far too often, Joanna Donato, DPT, sees how pain and physical limitations brought about by an injury or illness drain people’s sense of hope. As she works one-on-one with her physical therapy patients, she knows how important it is to “help them access the deeper part of themselves that they didn’t know was in there” to restore hope and reclaim their lives. (read more) 

 

RN Became Patient’s "Rock" Throughout Debilitating Health Ordeal

Pain took over Cheryl Tubert’s life. Ulcers on her legs, caused by poor circulation, made every day a challenge. At times, she found herself bedridden or forced to use a walker to get around her home. The pain would bring her to tears. (read more) 

 

Couple Finds Comfort, Compassion, and Support with VNA Care's Hospice

Leona Keefe found herself drawn to the Rose Monahan Hospice Home on the fifth anniversary of her husband David’s passing there. VNA Care’s hospice team was a source of compassion and comfort for the couple in their final months together. (read more) 

 

Speech-Language Pathologist Focuses on Helping Patients Meet Their Goals

There’s nothing more gratifying for Amber Pombo, MS, CCC-SLP, speech-language pathologist, than helping a patient reach their goals — whether it’s overcoming a swallowing disorder to eat a cheeseburger again or learn new ways to communicate with loved ones when speech is no longer possible. (read more) 

 

Doris Lynch Leaves her Legacy with VNA Care’s Hospice

Giving back to the community she cared about so deeply was simply the way Doris Lynch lived her life. Her commitment to helping others became part of her legacy through a bequest to VNA Care’s hospice program. (read more) 

 

Volunteer Makes a Difference in the Lives of Patients, Families During End-of-Life Journey

Working with individuals facing a terminal illness seems to run in hospice volunteer Debbie Krieg’s family. Among her siblings and cousins are two more hospice volunteers, two hospice nurses, and a hospice physician. (read more) 

 

Hospice Nurse Encourages People to "Enjoy the Dash" and Celebrate Life

Perhaps the most beautiful sunrise Sheila LaPointe has ever seen was from her bed at UMass Memorial Medical Center’s intensive care unit. (read more) 

 

Sisters Find Loving, Supportive, Respectful Environment for Final Days Together at VNA Care's Rose Monahan Hospice Home

Sisters Debbie Feingold and Anne Mack were constantly in each other’s company. Known as the Tirechix, the two ran the family business, Harding Tire in Worcester, for many years. Debbie laughs as she remembered, “At night we’d be on the phone for an hour because we didn’t have enough time together during the day.” (read more) 

 

Nurse Supports her Patients Throughout their Health Care Journey

Sierra Fleming believes that her role as a visiting nurse is all about going the extra mile in caring for her patients and their families. What that means changes with each and every person, but the end goal is the same — helping them heal and keeping them safe where they are happiest, in their own home. (read more) 

 

Patient Recovers, Returns to Career He Loves Through Expert Care of RN

After three weeks in the hospital, Marc couldn’t wait to return home. But one stumbling block remained — a very deep wound on his left foot that could take months to heal. Hospital staff enlisted VNA Care to help Marc safely transition from the hospital to home. (read more) 

 

Hospice Team Brings Comfort and Peace to U.S. Marine Corps Veteran

At age 81, James Capenito discovered he’d been awarded the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal for his service six decades earlier. VNA Care’s hospice team knows it’s an honor and a privilege to care for veterans and set out to recognize his service to the country. (read more) 

 

Home Health Care Team’s Collaborative Approach Helps Young Patient Begin Healing After Traumatic Accident Leads to Functional Quadriplegia

Mary received the phone call that every parent fears. Her 23-year-old son Eddie had been in a traumatic, life-threatening accident. (read more) 

 

Nurse, Home Health Patient Finds Excellence in Care at VNA Care

Christine Gauthier-Kelley, RN, has a passion and commitment to excellence in health care. Through her volunteerism and experience as a home health care patient, she found kindred spirits at VNA Care. (read more) 

 

Nurse Dedicates Career to Helping Patients Remain Healthy at Home

Delsye West Mason, RN, owes her nursing career to a meddling colleague. She was working as a secretary in a medical unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, taking liberal arts classes at UMass, and trying to figure out what she wanted to do with her life. (read more) 

 

Donor Gives Monthly in Memory of Aunt and to Support End-of-Life Care

The saying “no one can do everything, but everyone can do something” fuels Phyllis Roys’ charitable support for nonprofits that she sees making an impact close to home. (read more)