During this season of giving, honoring wishes of veterans is especially important. However, the Bay Pines VA Medical Center in Florida cares all year long about hospice veterans and their last wishes. They have created the Bay Pines VA Medical Center Make-A-Wish program primarily to grant last wishes of hospice veterans who have no close family or friends. Since 2002, they have helped over a hundred hospice veterans realize dreams.
Christopher Glenn, a hospice Navy veteran, wished longingly to take a plane flight over his hometown. As time went on and his terminal illness progressed, he had given up hope of ever having his wish come true. But Stuart Sidell, recreation therapist at Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, had other ideas. He decided to make Christopher’s dream a reality and even had him serve as plane pilot.
This video report from “The American Veteran” captures the wonderful results that this thoughtful act of consideration accomplished in enhancing the quality of Christopher’s life. Two weeks later, he died with his last wish fulfilled.
During this holiday season and throughout the new year, be love(d).
Frances Shani Parker, Author
Becoming
Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes is available
in paperback and e-book editions in America and other countries at online and
offline booksellers.
