Anthony’s Christmas with Santa

Our stories about meaningful experiences are written as they unfold. Therefore, most stories are in the present tense. Some of the patients in these stories are no longer with us. They, and their families, gave us permission to share their experience with you. For those who have since passed, we share these in their memories with deep appreciation for what they have taught us about life and living.

Anthony is a young man under our care. His home-hospice team worked to manage pain and symptoms and to support him and his family. As they got to know him, they were reminded that, even in the midst of crisis, children want to feel “normal.”

All he wanted, he told his family, was a Super Mario game. It was October, and our team immediately set out to make sure he got the game he wanted. We asked the local Walmart to partner with us. They did, donating the game along with dozens of Mario-branded toys, clothes, and bedding.

With a cartload of wonderful gifts, we had an idea: would Anthony’s family be interested in making this an early Christmas? Yes, they told us. Anthony still believed wholeheartedly in Santa, and he loved Christmas.

A local Santa agreed to help. On Halloween day, he and Anthony’s Hospice Care Plus team drove to Anthony’s home in a car filled with Christmas gifts wrapped by our volunteers. One team member remembers that, when Anthony first spotted Santa, he could think of nothing to say about this unexpected, magical moment except, “Santa. I love you.” For the next hour or so, Anthony and his parents—we made sure they had gifts, too—shared a small family celebration of Christmas on Halloween afternoon.

Magical moments like these are possible because our community of donors, businesses, and volunteers understands that, in hospice and palliative care, every moment matters. We believe that making these moments possible is every bit as essential to quality of life as the medical management of pain and symptoms.

How can you honor life during National Hospice & Palliative Care Month? Visit the #WeHonorLife campaign page to learn about all the ways you can help, from volunteering and shopping to helping us increase access to specialized care for the seriously ill and their families. Questions? Contact us at hospice@hospicecp.org or 859-986-1500 or visit our website.

Leave a Comment





Our Mission:

Hospice Care Plus provides exceptional, compassionate care for individuals with serious and advanced illness; while honoring dignity, ensuring comfort, and celebrating life. 

Our Values:

Compassion. Hope. Dignity. Integrity. Accountability. Our mission reflects the values we hold dear, and our commitment to these values shows in the care we provide.

Our Promise:

These values have led us to promise to honor your journey with dignity, compassion, and respect.

Our Service Area:

Our hospice home program serves you, wherever you call home, in the Kentucky counties of Estill, Jackson, Lee, Madison, Owsley, and Rockcastle.

Our inpatient care facility, the Compassionate Care Center, and administrative offices are located in Richmond, Kentucky.

Recent News:

A New Name, The Same Compassionate Mission 

Hospice Care Plus Becomes Compassionate Care Plus  For more than 40 years, we have been honored to care for patients...

Rockin’ Derby Eve Returns for a Night of Music, Celebration, and Compassion

Reservations are now open for the Rockin’ Derby Eve Benefit for Hospice Care Plus! This adult only event is the longest running derby...

Join Us for New Volunteer Training on March 21

Hospice Care Plus is hosting an in-person training for new volunteers on Saturday, March 21, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00...

Creating Space For Joy: BJ & Aimee’s Hospice Story

"Because of Hospice, mom found joy again!" Recently, BJ Chaney shared a deeply personal story about her mom, Aimee Potter,...

News & Events

Hawkins with Hunter 3

A Special UK Wildcat Surprises Young Patient

We have the honor of caring for Hunter. He’s 19, lives in Madison County, and has spent most of his life loving UK Men’s Basketball. When we learned what a Wildcat fan he is, we wanted to do something special for him.

Mr. Eversole unboxing cropped

The Best Biscuit Breakfast

Harold Eversole is cared for by our home hospice program. He enjoys entertaining our team with interesting stories about his life.
One humorous story was about the long-running debate between him and his brother over which restaurant made the best biscuits and gravy.

The Hospice Care Plus Berea office building, shown with cars in the lot and the Hospice Care Plus sign in front.

Central Office to Relocate to Richmond

There are exciting changes ahead for Hospice Care Plus. When the COVID pandemic began, many organizations, including Hospice Care Plus, had to make changes to adapt to new circumstances.  Hospice found that many employees in the central office in Berea could work hybrid-remote or fully remote. This dramatically downsized the office space needed to run…

Lois Harrison on far right

To Preserve & Share a Song

All her life, Lois Harrison used the gift of her voice to express and share her faith. Singing was very important to her. But, now in the advanced stages of Parkinson’s disease, Lois could no longer speak.