ROANOKE (WSLS 10) - One of the most unique positions for healthcare providers is the hospice field.
At Carilion Clinic, the goal of hospice is to support not only patients as they near the end of life, but every member of their families, including four-legged companions.Â
Recommended Videos
For patient Ellen Hatfield, that companion is what she refers to as "Miss queen of the house." For her, happiness is having her family nearby and her beloved cat Miss kitty. A rescue, Ellen adopted the blue-Russian cat from the pound fifteen years ago.
"I got down to the last one, and there's this cat sitting there," Ellen said with tears in her eyes. "I knew her name was Miss Kitty as soon as I saw her," Ellen said.
She has been her best friend ever since, through all of her ups and downs. Day and night, Miss kitty has been there with Ellen through a long battle with cancer.
Ellen now requires full- time assistance, including at-home visits from hospice. Through her own health troubles, Miss kitty has had some of her own.
"I knew I had to take care of her, and I didn't know how to do that," Ellen said.
That's when the Carilion Clinic Hospice Pet Peace of Mind Program stepped in.They provided the pet care that Ellen wasn't able to give. They even deliver medication and food if needed.
Volunteer Coordinator Sue Huntington says they were the first in the state to start the program. Huntington says it's part of a holistic approach to ensure the patient not only is in the best physical condition they can be, but spiritual, emotional and mental state of mind as well.
"Through hospice we are able to help them live as fully as they can for as long as they can. A big part of that for a lot of our patients is their best four legged friend," Huntington said.
She says often the biggest stressor on hospice patients is not being able to provide proper care for their animals.
"Our patients pets are the very best medicine. So anything we can do to help their pets will help our patients," Huntington said.
They even help find a home for the pet it's owner passes. For Ellen, knowing that her "Miss kitty" is taken care of is the best peace of mind she can get.
"I love her, I do," Ellen gushed. "And I love the people that took care of her. I love hospice and all of the workers. Thank God there is people like them."
The program was started in December of 2010 with a startup grant from the Banfield Charitable Trust of $5,000. But today, the program runs on donations from the public, and the generosity of veterinarians like Dr. Diane D'Orazio.
"A lot of time we see patients linger because they are worried about who is going to take care of their pet," D'Orazio said.
Not only does she work closely with many hospice patients, she knows first hand from experience with her sister who lost her battle to cancer.
You can see her picture in the pamphlet for the program.
"Knowing their pet is taken care of allows them to pass peacefully when it is time to do so," D'Orazio said.
She and Huntington both agree that the work they do is one of the most rewarding experiences someone can be apart of. Donations from the public are greatly needed to keep the program going.Â
Donations in memory of or in honor of someone or a pet can be sent to:
Carilion Clinic Hospice Pet Peace of Mind
1615 Franklin Road
Roanoke, VA 24016