‘Nurse Hadley’ Brings Life to End-of-Life Conversation, Houston Hospice 23rd Butterfly Luncheon Celebrates Volunteers of the Year
‘Nurse Hadley’ Brings Life to End-of-Life Conversation
23rd Butterfly Luncheon Celebrates Volunteers of the Year
HOUSTON (April 30, 2024) – Hadley Vlahos, RN, New York Times bestselling author and TikTok sensation, delivered a heartfelt keynote about bringing life to end-of-life conversations at the Houston Hospice 23rd Butterfly Luncheon held April 17. Houston Hospice also celebrated three volunteers of the year.
Vlahos is a hospice nurse and palliative care advocate whose perspective on hospice care is bringing awareness about important end-of-life conversations to younger audiences.
In her memoir, “The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters during life’s final moments,” Vlahos shared her belief that end-of-life care can teach us as much about how to live as it does about how to die.
“We are grateful for Hadley and the positive way in which she uses her platform to raise awareness about a topic most people shy away from,” said Rana S. McClelland, president and CEO of Houston Hospice. “Her message is an inspiration to all.”
Additionally, Dody and Robert Carter and Margaret Dixon were honored as Volunteers of the Year for Houston Hospice. The Carters, along with their three corgis, have been a mainstay at the Houston Hospice Texas Medical Center campus since 2016, where they provide pet therapy and assemble weekly bereavement mailings. Margaret Dixon has volunteered at our El Campo location for more than 30 years. She provides companionship to hospice patients and families in their homes, where a volunteer’s presence is a welcome comfort.
“Volunteers choose to be part of the Houston Hospice mission,” said Al Gatmaitan, chair of the Houston Hospice board of directors. “Their service is a very personal endorsement to the powerful and caring work we perform every day.”
Emceed by Melanie Lawson, anchor for KTRK Channel 13, more than 200 guests gathered at The Junior League of Houston to support Houston Hospice and its Butterfly Program, which cares for its youngest and most vulnerable patients. The community-based nonprofit has provided quality, end-of-life health care to generations of families in Southeast Texas for more than 40 years.
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About Houston Hospice
Founded in 1980, Houston Hospice is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing quality, end-of-life care to patients and their families throughout 13 counties in Southeast Texas. We offer an interdisciplinary team-led approach that includes physicians, nurses, chaplains, social workers, hospice aides, bereavement counselors and volunteers. We provide the appropriate level of comfort care in a setting the patient calls home or in our freestanding inpatient unit. Our holistic view of hospice care is enhanced by the extensive knowledge and expertise of our staff, specialized educational opportunities and community outreach efforts. Houston Hospice is a member of the Texas Medical Center. For more information, visit: houstonhospice.org.