The Thomas family recall their memories of Laura Maie Thomas who passed away while under the care of Richmond County Hospice. Pictured, from left, are her grandson Chris Galliher, her daughter Betsy Galliher holding Thomas’s granddaughter Ashley Galliher, her husband John A. Thomas Jr. and her daughter Deborah Thomas.
“I gave the hospice workers and the rescue squad and everyone who helped my wife and I the name ‘God’s Angels of Mercy on Earth,’” Thomas said. “That’s what they were to us.”
For months, hospice workers helped her stay at home by visiting with her and John, but towards the end it became apparent to all involved she would have to live at the Haven.
She was there three weeks before passing away in March 2008.
“She didn’t want to go, and neither would I, she wanted to stay at home and that was understandable,” he said. “But they gave her excellent care, and she didn’t want for anything. It’s a wonderful place for people who are sick.”
Richmond County Hospice Development and Volunteer Coordinator Lisa Ledford explained the hospice has dual goals while assisting terminally ill patients and their families.
“Our main goal is establishing pain management and symptom control within 48 hours of someone coming into our facility, and typically we are able to do that in much less than 48 hours,” she said. “Once these are established, a person is able to have a much better quality of life for however long they live.”
The alternate goal deals with the families of those who are ill.
“And also, once they have these things under control, they are able to have better interactions with loved ones,” she said. “We also support those primary caregivers to make sure they meet their own doctor’s appointments, and take care of their own needs, as well as, taking care of their loved ones’ needs, because that is so important. They can not wear themselves down, then they won’t be able to help their loved ones.”
“I would recommend the hospice to anyone who has a loved one who is in great need,” said Deborah Thomas, the daughter of John and Laura. “When mama got sick, we all had work and our own lives, and Daddy was out here all by himself with her. There is no way they could have made it as long as they did without this help.”
She recalled the staff members her mother became so fond of, and the way they aided her during a very difficult period.
“When she had to go live there, they were amazing with how they treated her,” Deborah continued. “No matter how bad the problem was, or what the problem was, they never made it seem difficult, they really were able to work with her with things that we couldn’t.”
John described what his ‘God’s Angels of Mercy on Earth,’ did for the family.
“They always took excellent care of her, and they’re bound to be under terrible stress with some of the things they have to go through with sick folks,” he said. “They’re to be commended for what they do.”
Ledford said the Thomas family’s story illustrates many more stories that happen all the time.
“Our nurses and support staff get little notes from the families and the patients,” she said. “They are truly wonderful. They really have a heart for hospice work, and it shows.”
Being the only nonprofit hospice in Richmond County, the staff sees roughly 50 patients at a time, eight to 10 per nurse, Ledford said.
“We do not turn people away based on their ability to pay,” she said. “By doing this we are able to help many people who are in great need, but in doing so, we depend on the community to support us through our fundraising activities so we can continue to provide this quality service to the community.”
The Richmond County Hospice will hold its annual barbecue fundraiser Friday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Browder Park in Rockingham.
“We will have barbecue from Tommy Deese and crew, and barbecue chicken from the Knights of Columbus,” Ledford said. “We will have entertainment throughout the day, and we’ll also have a silent auction and a bake sale. Plates are $7 apiece, and we’ll deliver five plates or more at lunchtime. Plate tickets can be purchased through hospice staff and volunteers or can be purchased on the day of the event.”
Besides the provision of care, proceeds will also go to support programs for caregivers and grief counseling and other support therapies for the loved ones of those who have passed away.
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