AHC Love Lights Supporting Hospice Home Expansion

Proceeds from this year’s Love Lights, presented by the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation, will help support the expansion efforts at the Agnesian HealthCare Hospice Home of Hope, located at 400 County Road K in Fond du Lac.

“The journey of life is filled with different milestones and moments that should be reflected on and celebrated,” says Holly Brenner, Agnesian HealthCare Foundation president. “At Agnesian HealthCare, we strive to help patients through each phase of their lives, and end-of-life is no different. The Foundation has identified the Hospice Home of Hope expansion as the current area of greatest need, and we appreciate everyone’s help in raising money for this important development.”

The Agnesian HealthCare Foundation has committed a $500,000 gift to benefit this 7,327-square-foot, eight-room addition, which is set to open fall 2017. The expansion will help to effectively address current waiting lists.

There are nearly 300 people in our community in hospice care each day, and the need for compassionate, end-of-life care remains strong.

Punit Kumar, MD, Hospice & Palliative Care medical director, and Nidhi Kumar, MD, Consultants Laboratory medical director, are serving as this year’s Love Light co-chairpersons.       

                        “There is so much good that happens at the Hospice Home of Hope, and that’s what people remember the most,” according to Dr. Punit Kumar. “Despite the intense emotional, spiritual, physical and psychosocial pain, there are very significant opportunities for growth and healing around the time of dying. In its purest sense, our mission is to help dying individuals and their loved ones seize those opportunities.”

Currently the Hospice Home of Hope often has a waiting list, something which the addition of more rooms should help to alleviate.

            “Individuals seeking care at the Hospice Home of Hope need to be placed on our waiting list about 90 percent of the time,” says Dr. Nidhi Kumar. “While that list is not extensive at any given time, we want to avoid turning anyone away from utilizing the Hospice Home of Hope, especially when time is so valuable. We do provide hospice services in a patient’s home, hospital or nursing home facilities so families are being served.”

Individuals can support Love Lights by purchasing a light in honor of someone they wish to remember or celebrate during the holiday season. This light will shine on the beautifully lit evergreen in front of Agnesian HealthCare.

The names of those honored and remembered will be displayed through the holiday season in the St. Agnes Hospital and Fond du Lac Regional Clinic lobby areas.

Love Lights can be purchased for $10 each at both the hospital and clinic information desks, 430 E. Division Street, or by calling the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation at (920) 926-4959 (charge by phone – MasterCard, Visa, American Express or Discover).

In addition, the Foundation also offers Angel Lights ($150 and above) for interested individuals. All donations of $150 and above will have a special designation on the ceremony program.

The public is invited to the 2016 Love Light Tree Lighting Ceremony at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, December 12 at the St. Agnes Hospital lobby.

For more information on this year’s Love Lights or to make a purchase, call the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation at (920) 926-4959.