New "5 Stories" video shares experiences of San Diego Hospice patients and their caregivers
San Diego, California – Stories of the San Diego Hospice experience are poignantly articulated in the organization's new video, "5 Stories" [1]. The latest in a series of San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine videos, "5 Stories" captures the lives of five patients and their caregivers in beautifully filmed vignettes, available for viewing online on the company's website [2] or its YouTube channel at http://YouTube.com/SanDiegoHospice [3]. "Nothing is more powerful than the human spirit and nothing is more profound than caring for people at the end of life," said Kathleen Pacurar [4], President and CEO of San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine. "The stories shared in our "5 Stories" video connects deep within all of us and speaks to our desire to provide services that promote the best quality of life possible." Viewers of the "5 Stories" video get a glimpse into the world of seriously ill patients and their loved ones receiving care from San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine. Their testimonials share a common theme about the life-affirming programs and services that are available through hospice and palliative care. "The day I found hospice was the most remarkable day," said Loraine, a San Diego Hospice patient and "5 Stories" participant. "San Diego Hospice has come to my rescue." For Peyton, diagnosed with lung cancer, his philosophy of living life to the fullest was realized during his San Diego Hospice journey. "If you think you go to hospice to die, you're wrong," he said. "You go there to live." Established as the county's original hospice program in 1977, San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine [2] has earned the community's respect over the past 34 years as a trusted leader and resource in the healthcare community. As one of the largest not-for-profit hospice programs in the region, the organization touches the lives of more than 1,200 adults and children each day throughout San Diego and North County, with unparalleled medical expertise and compassionate life-affirming services that promote quality of life at every stage of life. Pacurar credits the work of the organization’s 850 staff members and 700 volunteers, in providing its innovative programs that are transforming lives and transforming healthcare. "At San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine, we truly believe we're changing the way medicine is practiced," she noted. About San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine is one of the largest community-owned, not-for-profit hospices in the country, bringing compassionate, expert medical care to more than 1,200 seriously ill adults and children each day throughout San Diego and North County. In addition, The Center for Grief Care and Education [5] assists more than 12,000 individuals, experiencing grief and loss, with support, counseling and guidance each year. In addition to patient and family care, The Institute for Palliative Medicine [6] at San Diego Hospice is transforming healthcare, educating more than 4,000 physicians and healthcare professionals each year and hosting the largest physician specialty training program in palliative medicine in the nation. For more information, visit www.sdhospice.org [2] or call toll-free 866-688-1600. ###
Media inquiries contact: Melissa DelaCalzada, Director of Communications and Community Relations (619) 278-6139; mdelacalzada@sdhospice.org [7]