Words of Support
Crescent Cove is thankful to the following individuals and organizations who have pledged their support of our mission in writing:
Fellow Hospice Providers
“Unless you have experienced a loved one, particularly a child, with a life-limiting illness, and experience first-hand the confusion, anxiety and fear that can accompany this life-changing situation, it is difficult to appreciate the powerful value a loving hospice environment can offer to patients, families and friends alike.”
Robert J. Solheim President of N.C. Little Memorial Hospice, Inc. in Edina, MN
“The option of a children’s hospice home would allow families to come together in a supportive environment to focus on being a family at the end-of-life.”
Lyn Ceronsky, DNP, CHPCA, Director of Palliative Care at University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview in Minneapolis, MN
“The ability to offer skilled respite care in a residential setting would be invaluable to many families. And, when it is time for these families to come to the difficult yet loving decision to forego aggressive medical therapies for their child, it is essential to have the ability to offer them the full range of hospice opportunities, including a residential hospice for children.”
Scott Schwantes, MD FAAP, Medical Director of Pediatric Pain and Palliative Care Services at Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare in St. Paul, MN, and Crescent Cove Board Member
“Families of children with life-threatening conditions receive the majority of their care at home, but caregivers often experience issues in terms of their own psychological and physical health, their relationships and financial difficulties. Crescent Cove will help to address these challenges.”
Gail Hessell, Hospice Manager at Very Special Kids in Victoria, Australia
“What so few people know and understand is that children and their families who face a life limiting illness require a level of support and care that doesn’t compare with the respective adult world. Children are not supposed to die before their parents. It is important to remind ourselves that children are not ‘little adults.’ The programs we develop need to reflect these differences. Creating just one memory, enhancing the comfort of one child, sharing a moment with only one parent makes a difference. We cannot change the outcome but we can impact the process and experience a family has.”
Janet Will, RN, MS, Former Director of Dr. Bob’s Place in Baltimore, MD
“The medical and psychosocial needs of a child are far different than that of an adult. Crescent Cove is committed to meeting the complex medical and psychosocial needs of children with life-threatening conditions, and providing services for the entire family.”
Lisa Upshaw, Contract & Commissioning Manager at Naomi House in Winchester, Hampshire, UK
“The improvements in medical technology have led to a significant increase in the number of children living at home with special medical needs. These children typically need 24 hour skilled care and require many medical treatments and interventions during the course of the day to keep them healthy and out of the hospital. The demands of these treatments can be very stressful on families and caregivers and they need an occasional break to maintain their own mental, emotional and physical health.”
Barbara Beach, M.D., Co-Founder and former Medical Director of George Mark Children’s House in San Leandro, CA
“For those families and patients dealing with terminal illness, and the stresses and emotional trauma of losing a loved one, a facility designed to support all family members through this devastating experience would be very beneficial.”
Sandra Maguire, BSW, RRT-NPS, LRT, Former Managing Director of Nursing & Pharmacy, Pediatric Home Service in Roseville, MN
“There is a compelling need for a children’s Hospice and Respite Care facility in Minnesota as no such facility exists in the region. Studies support the tremendous benefits for families and patients when they are able to access a formal palliative care/hospice program offering comprehensive, supportive services with expertly trained staff in a more healing, peaceful setting.”
Tim Culbert, M.D. with Integrative Medicine Clinic at Ridgeview in Carver County, MN
Community Partners
“Having gotten to know so many families dealing with their child’s life-threatening illness, the daily world that they live in is incomprehensible to many. It is unrelenting. The chance to take a break is seldom there, if ever. They need the services that Crescent Cove will offer.”
Josh Taylor, Executive Director of HopeKids serving the Twin Cities, MN
“With 35 years of experience in human service, mental health, and grief related organizations, including frequent trips to England for work with hospice and bereavement, I am impressed and excited about this movement in building a children’s hospice center for Minnesota.”
Ted Bowman, Trainer/Educator/Grief Counselor in MN
“If there was a stand-alone house that was licensed and fully staffed with trained, competent and caring professionals and volunteers, it would provide caregivers a much-needed break without the worry of trusting the care or having to pay for it.”
Rev. Peter E. Lund, Chaplain previously with Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota
“As adults, death is an expected consequence of life. However, the death of a child can be incomprehensible. The lack of available respite and residential hospice services for children means that families are exhausted emotionally and financially which delays appropriate grieving.”
Tery Johnston-Haik with the former North Memorial Hospice in Robbinsdale, MN
“A children’s residential hospice is a resource for families who are living through a painful and isolating experience as they watch their child die. It provides the environment of love, caring, concern and compassion so desperatley sought by the children and their families.”
Margaret A. Wolters, Independent Hospice Consultant in MN
Parents
“Roughly a month prior to Maryah, our 16 year old daughter, passing, we learned that the hospital was running out of reasons to keep her there. In addition, the protocol did not allow her freedom to leave the building. Maryah didn’t like the thought of going home to live out her days where her family would eventually live with the memories of her passing at home. We were shocked to learn that there are no hospice homes for children in Minnesota. After an exhaustive search, an adult hospice finally consented to letting her go there. While sharing a room with a 90 year old woman, Maryah was able to enjoy the comforts of home, go out whenever she felt well enough, and find a sense of balance where she could live….and eventually pass in peace.”
Rachel & Dan Perez, Zachary & Twila Tift from St. Paul, MN
“While ‘Pediatric Palliative Care’ is emerging throughout the US, in England, children have received life-affirming care for over twenty years. Imagine an amazing home built from the ground–up to support families…with children’s bedrooms, and separate suites for mom and dad to restore much needed rest. With art rooms, computer rooms, a state-of-the-art sensory room and large hydrotherapy pool inside the house! The backyard and playground is fully accessible so that ALL children can play together. Not only is the physical home fantastic, but the care team is exceptional. Staffed with nurses and care professionals that immediately create trust, parents may ‘step away’ temporarily, knowing that their child is lovingly and professionally cared for.”