Even at the end of life, there can be a lot of living to do. Hospice volunteers help ensure patients and families spend their remaining time together creating meaningful moments and lasting memories.

Across the U.S., more than 430,000 hospice volunteers give 19 million hours of service every year. Hospice volunteers are an indispensable part of the care team, bringing companionship to people in the final months and weeks of life, providing respite to families and caregivers, and supporting the administrative responsibilities of hospice programs.

Right here in our community, trained volunteers work with our Compassus hospice patients and families, giving selflessly to help people live as fully as possible at the end of life. Our community is a better, more compassionate place because of their service.

April 7-13 is National Volunteer Week and every single volunteer deserves our appreciation and grateful acknowledgment.

Hospice volunteer opportunities are endless, and all hospice volunteers receive free training. Whether volunteering a few hours a month or six hours a week, all efforts are appreciated and needed.

I encourage anyone who may be interested in becoming a hospice volunteer to contact Compassus – Brookhaven at 601-835-3363 or to visit compassus.com to learn more.

— Jody M. Letchworth is volunteer coordinator for Compassus in Brookhaven