Veterans Commemorated at Regional Hospice in Danbury

Danbury, CT, 11.13.18, -- On the morning of Friday, November 9, Regional Hospice and Palliative Care (RHPC), hosted a Veteran’s Day event which was attended by local politicians, RHPC’s veteran volunteers, staff members and patients. It was a moving commemoration of the invaluable contributions made by veterans to our country and a testament to the strength and will of the human spirit.

During the event, Tom Saadi, The Connecticut Commissioner of Veterans Affairs, gave an emotional speech of gratitude to all of the Veterans in attendance. He presented the veteran volunteers of Regional Hospice and Palliative Care with coveted armed forces challenge medallions from the Veteran’s Administration. Saadi also spent extra time with two veteran patients who reside at the Center for Comfort Care and Healing, presenting them with coins and saluting them for their service to our country. One patient, Emanuele George Sabino, expressed how honored he was to be recognized among this group of individuals who have so loyally served our country.

“At Regional Hospice and Palliative Care, we are honored to care for the dedicated men and women who served our country,” said RHPC’s President & CEO Cynthia Emiry Roy. “Giving our veterans and their family members a dignified end-of-life through our hospice services is truly our privilege. As a Level Four "We Honor Veterans" organization, we are committed to recognizing these individuals through the sacrifices they've made and treating them with the dignity and respect that they deserve. Our gratitude extends to the veterans who continue to serve their country by volunteering their time as Regional Hospice volunteers.”

RHPC was also commemorated on Friday morning, as Roy was presented with the “We Honor Veterans” Level 4 Award*, presented by Mary Beth Hickey, Director of Volunteer Services. The prestigious honor is the highest designation in the program, awarded to RHPC for its continuing dedication to ensuring local veterans have access to high quality end-of-life care. Regional Hospice and RHPC Board Member and veteran Don Smith spoke about the incredible ways that Regional Hospice provides caring end-of-life support to all members of community, and remarked about the sensitivity shown to veteran patients and relatives in particular. To commemorate the day, a wreath was placed at the flagpole at RHPC in remembrance of all their veterans who have served and died for this country.

summed up the event with his fitting remarks. “As we commemorate Veterans Day let us remember that those who served and those who continue to serve,” said Tom Saadi. “They are not just names in a news article, data in a report or statistics in a history book - they were and are - sons and daughters, husbands and wives, Moms and Dads, Brothers and sisters and friends and loved who served and sacrificed so that we may live in freedom. Let us remember them this Veterans Day and every day of the year.”

About Regional Hospice and Palliative Care

Since 1983, Regional Hospice and Palliative Care has been providing caring, end-of-life services to our Connecticut community. We have successfully helped thousands of patients live out their remaining days in the comfort of their own home or nursing care facility with peace and dignity, while supporting their families emotionally and spiritually. Additionally, after years of careful consideration and planning, we have built Connecticut’s first and only, state-of-the-art, private suite hospice center – our Center for Comfort Care and Healing in CT. We are proud of our decades-long reputation for superior in-home hospice care and we are honored to be able to welcome you into our home as well. For more information, visit: MakingTheBestOfEveryday.org or call us at 203.702.7400

*The We Honor Veterans Program is a nationwide initiative geared at increasing organizational capacity to serve veteran populations ate end-of-life.

Photo Captions:

Image #2 - CT Commissioner of Veterans Affairs Tom Saadi, Regional Hospice Patient Emanuele "George" Sabino, Jr.; Regional Hospice and Palliative Care President & CEO Cynthia Emiry Roy (left to right)

Image #7 - Warren Hengel (US Marines), Sol Steiner (US Army), Regional Hospice and Palliative Care Board Member Don Smith (US Army) and Doug Johnston (US Navy) (left to right)