Why should you, a mountain area resident, donate to an organization that you currently don’t benefit from? What is Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice? Forty years ago, Mount Evans Hospice became one of the first three hospices in the State of Colorado helping terminally ill patients with their end of life journey at home. During Mount Evans’ first year, we gave comfort to 15 patients and families. Over time our services expanded to include in-home care for those recovering from an illness or surgery as well as palliative care for those living with a progressive illness. We provide nursing services, physical, occupational and speech therapies, social and spiritual support, and grief counseling for children and adults, as well as care for those making their final journey. Simply put, we believe our mountain communities who turn to us for help deserve extraordinary care. Last year, Mount Evans conducted over 25,000 patient visits across a FOUR county service area regardless of the ability to pay! Our clinical care team drove over 325,000 miles to take care of you, your friends and neighbors, in your homes, when needed.
When I was in my 40’s my brother in-law passed away from cancer down in Denver. He was brought home from the hospital and a local hospice agency helped him manage his pain and helped the family through the cycles of pain and grief over a period of days. It was incredibly sad and it left his two young sons ages 8 and 10 without their father. If this had happened in our mountain community, Mount Evans would have been the agency of choice to serve the family. We as Evergreen residents experienced grief afterwards, and I called Mount Evans for help. I told my sister-in-law about Mount Evans Camp Comfort, a camp that helps children who lose a parent to grieve and learn a way forward with life. Mount Evans was there for us when we needed help.
My father at one point was very sick and had a terrible wound that had to heal at home. My mom could not do the work alone and a home health nurse came in and assisted. If they lived in our mountain community, a Mount Evans nurse would have been there for them.
A local cyclist had a knee replacement and the Mount Evans physical therapist came to care for him in his home to get him back on the road to ride a 50-mile section of the Triple Bypass.
A woman that lives in Bailey recently said to me, “I live alone. Do you mean that if I get injured an accident, a nurse from Mount Evans would come to my house?” Yes, was my answer, that is what we do every single day.
Back to the question, why should you consider a financial gift to Mount Evans this year? The medical and mental situations I have described can happen to anyone at any time. These are not planned events. All of us should be comforted to know that Mount Evans has been in our community, taking care of us and our neighbors for over forty years. Your financial contributions will support the work of our professional staff on into the next forty years. Over 25,000 patient visits -is someone you know one of them?
Colorado Gives Day is coming up on December 7. I ask you to consider a donation to Mount Evans to fund our work for the mountain community for the future needs of all of us. You can donate directly on our site at mtevans.org/donate or through the Colorado Gives Day website at coloradogives.org/mtevans.
Betsy Hays is the Director of Resource Development and Fundraising at Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice. She can be reached at 303-674-6400 or bhays@mtevans.org.
