A Loving Gift as Thanks for Her Tender Care

Honoring his wife’s memory, Bill Stigelman gives back as a volunteer and board member in gratitude for the high-quality care and attention she received in her final weeks.

Upon retiring, Bill Stigelman had some free time and was looking for meaningful ways to spend it. A Hospice of the Western Reserve board member thought Bill, a former pharmacist and a military veteran, could add a useful perspective and expertise. Bill had no idea that his own wife, Jude, would need the agency’s services in a few short years.

When Jude was diagnosed with terminal metastatic lung cancer, she embarked on a journey of radiation, chemotherapy and palliative care. When active treatment had run its course, Jude and Bill turned to Hospice of the Western Reserve.

The morning of Jude’s first full day at David Simpson Hospice House, Bill arrived to stay with Jude, only to find her bed gone and her room empty. After a few seconds of dark thoughts, he realized she was outside on her own personal patio soaking up the sun. Her nurse had asked if she would like to go outside.

“From the first moment Jude set foot in DSHH and entered Suite 114, she couldn’t have received more tender, loving care,” Bill says. “To this day, I marvel that not once during Jude’s six-plus weeks there did she, her sister Molly or I ever experience anything but the best care and support.”

Since Jude’s death, Bill has been a dedicated member of the Hospice of the Western Reserve board. His contributions include lending his clinical expertise, leading the annual Walk to Remember fundraiser as a committee member and “Team Jude” organizer, and serving on the planned giving committee.

“I made the decision to honor Jude’s memory by making meaningful contributions to hospice in as many ways as I could, including making a legacy gift designation to Hospice of the Western Reserve in my will,” Bill says.
 

Planned gifts to Hospice of the Western Reserve ensure that others receive the best possible end-of-life care.
To learn how you can include Hospice of the Western Reserve in your estate plan, contact Holly Selvaggi at 216.255.9066 or hselvaggi@hospicewr.org.