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Hospice Center Opens with Ceremony, Gifts

Duke HomeCare & Hospice hosted a Feb. 24, 2009 ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new facility-the Hock Family Pavillion-located on North Roxboro Road in Durham.

Pictured in the photo are, left to right: Mary Ann Black, Duke University Health Systems assistant vice president for community affairs; Deborah and Jim Hock; Gary Hock; DUHS CEO Victor J. Dzau, MD; and state Senator Vernon Malone. Also participating but not pictured were Starr Browning, executive director of Duke Home Care and Hospice; Duke University President Richard H. Brodhead; and Paul Newman, DUHS vice president for ambulatory care.

The new hospice facility features 12 private patient rooms, 24-hour skilled nursing care, and an interdisciplinary team of nurses, social workers, chaplains, nursing assistants, bereavement counselors and volunteers.

Also celebrated was the generosity of  the Duke Hospital Auxiliary which is providing flat screen TVs for all 12 patient rooms - plus TVs for the family room and the nurses.

The auxiliary also has donated $10,000 to provide heart patients with pillboxes uniquely designed for easy opening by anyone who has arthritis or gripping problems.

"Providing the funding to buy the TVs allowed hospice to use their funds for other areas of the facility," said auxiliary director Renea Hunnings.

"We would not have been able to provide that level of amenity without a committed sponsor like the Duke Hospital Auxiliary," said Starr Browning, executive director of Duke HomeCare & Hospice. "They have been a strong partner in the work we do."

The auxiliary has helped sponsor a wide range of projects at Duke Hospital since 1950, with particular emphasis on patient and family needs. It raises money through three gift shops, a volunteer office and fund-raising events.