Hospice of Southern Maine raised a total of $32,679 during the month of October as a result of its third annual Hike for Hospice event. After being held virtually for the past two years, participants were able to walk in person this year at the community event hosted in Scarborough.
Held during the month of October, Hike for Hospice was open to anyone in the community, encouraging participants to run, walk, or hike as a positive and healthy activity to reaffirm life, remember loved ones who have been touched by hospice, and raise awareness for this high-quality end-of-life care. In addition to the in-person event, participants had the option to walk virtually on their own timeline throughout the month.
Inspired by other Hike for Hospice walks around the world, Hospice of Southern Maine introduced the event in 2020 as a way for community members to come together, even virtually, during a year in which events have been particularly challenging to hold. The successful inaugural event resulted in fundraising on the level of other Hike for Hospice events that have taken place for more than a decade.
“After two years of hosting this event virtually, we were so excited to be able to gather in person this year,” said Daryl Cady, CEO of Hospice of Southern Maine. “We are grateful for all of the participants who showed up not only to support Hospice of Southern Maine, but also to support each other in whatever their reason for walking was. We’re already looking forward to next year!”
Next year’s event will be held on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023.
Hospice of Southern Maine’s Hike for Hospice event has raised a total of $185,316 since its inaugural event in 2020. Proceeds raised from the event will support Hospice of Southern Maine’s Gosnell Memorial Hospice House and Home Hospice Program, as well as the nonprofit’s overall mission to provide compassion, care and comfort through end of life.
Hospice of Southern Maine is a non-profit organization with the mission to provide compassion, care, and comfort through end of life. Formed through a collaborative effort among York and Cumberland County leaders and health care providers, Hospice of Southern Maine (HSM) organized in 2001 and began providing direct patient services in 2004. Today, HSM cares for nearly 2,000 patients annually, at the patient’s home, current care facility, and Gosnell Memorial Hospice House, an 18-suite inpatient facility in Scarborough. HSM admits patients with a variety of diagnoses, including Alzheimer’s; heart, lung, and kidney diseases; stroke; Lou Gehrig’s disease; and cancer. Care is patient-centered with family support and provided by a comprehensive interdisciplinary team of physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, aides, chaplains, grief counselors, and volunteers. Hospice of Southern Maine is a non-profit 501(c)3, Medicare certified state licensed agency, and the largest independent provider of hospice services in Southern Maine. To learn more, visit http://www.hospiceofsouthernmaine.org.
