CNS hospice patient, Elsie Kimmel, recently had a very special family dinner, thanks to the CNS Senior Wish Program. You might be surprised to learn that about half of the Senior Wishes we host are simple family dinners in a patient's home or care center. Most hospice patients don’t have the energy to go on an airplane ride or attend a Jazz game and really just want to spend time in their home, surrounded by family, which was the case with Elsie.
On May 6, 2022, just 10 days before turning 87, Louis Griffin climbed into a Cessna airplane for his Senior Wish and the ride of his life, accompanied by his son, Daryl, and CNS social worker, Jason Bohman.
Pilot Kim Hall of Leading Edge Aviation in Logan flew the group from the Logan Airport throughout Cache Valley, including Millville Canyon and Mount Logan, where Louis and his family used to enjoy camping.
The holiday season is a time for reflection, gratitude, and the spirit of giving. This year, the CNS Charitable Care Program, in collaboration with the Andes A-Z Helping Hands Fund, the Cambia Health Foundation, and 120+ volunteers, brought warmth and solace to more than 1,100 families across Utah through our annual CNS Memorial Ornament Program.
Norma Jeanne Smith was diagnosed with multiple myeloma cancer in 2018 and went through two years of treatment, including chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, which helped her go into remission for two years. When her cancer came back in 2022, Norma started an experimental cancer treatment at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, and was making good progress until she developed Guillain-Barré syndrome, which unfortunately affects 3% of the people who undergo this specific course of treatment.
The CNS Honor Salute program recognizes hospice patients who are veterans with a formal tribute of appreciation for their service to our country. Military personnel arrive in dress uniform, along with CNS volunteers and staff, to present the veteran with a personalized appreciation plaque, military service lapel pin, and an American flag. They then give the salute command and salute the patient, who often salutes back.
