On November 2, 2018, more than seventy social workers and healthcare professionals from around Mississippi gathered in Ridgeland at Hospice Ministries, Inc., for the first annual Life Matters Conference. November is National Hospice Month and hospice agencies around the country are promoting awareness through events like this. Hospice Ministries, Inc., is a not for profit organization with locations in Ridgeland and in Brookhaven. They provide hospice services in homes, in hospitals, and in their inpatient facility in Ridgeland. “Our mission it to bridge the gap between life and death by being present, offering hope, and expanding knowledge through compassionate service to the community,” says Suzannah Britt, Executive Director of Hospice Ministries, Inc. “We provide end of life care for patients regardless of their ability to pay. Promoting awareness is important to us because we are a not for profit agency and we believe that every human has the right to a quality end of life experience. That’s why we exist. November is a great time to learn more about what we do, how to volunteer and how to support hospice programs through giving.”
“We have groups from all around who come for work days, service community projects and they all leave feeling like they’ve been a part of something that will have a long-lasting effect on a family,” continues Britt.
More than 1000 families are affected by the work of Hospice Ministries, Inc., every year and this is the first Life Matters conference. “This was a great event for us,” says Lesa Meaders, Referral Liaison for Hospice Ministries, Inc. Some of our staff nurses here spoke as well as physicians from surrounding hospices who spoke specifically on end-of-life matters. A panel of caregivers who have been through hospice care gave their experiences and answered questions from the audience. It was well attended and it was exciting to see our first Life Matters Conference be successful,” she continues.
For more information on how to volunteer or give to Hospice Ministries, Inc., visit the Hospice Ministries’ website at HospiceMinistries.org. During November, the Hospice Ministries’ Facebook page will feature families and stories.