The EvergreenHealth Gene & Irene Wockner Hospice Care Center held its 25th Anniversary Celebration at the end of September, honoring the community of volunteers, staff, and supporters who contribute to the Puget Sound area’s only free-standing hospice center.

Since 1991, the EvergreenHealth Gene & Irene Wockner Hospice Care Center has served more than 28,000 patients, bringing clinical excellence, compassionate care and comfort to those facing life-limiting illness in a respectful home-like environment, where family members and friends can visit at any time.

“We are proud to celebrate 25 remarkable years of memories, stories and excellence made possible by the generosity of Gene and Irene Wockner Hospice Care donors. We look forward to providing many more years of service to patients and families,” said EvergreenHealth CEO Bob Malte. “Coping with the death of a loved one is never easy, and the exceptional care and service the talented physicians, nurses, support staff and volunteers at the center provide have helped so many within our community during extremely difficult times of personal loss.”

At the event, Bert Fisher, a longtime volunteer with more than 1,800 hours of service at the Hospice Care Center, was honored for his thought leadership and ingenuity when creating initiatives to improve the experience for patients and families, such as installing hummingbird feeders outside each patient’s room.

“We are grateful for the support of the community and for volunteers like Bert who have been instrumental in the Hospice Care Center’s ability to create an environment that gives patients and their families a lasting positive experience during their time with us,” said Monique Ruyle, VP of clinical integration and home care/hospice at EvergreenHealth. “As the hospice staff supports patients and families on their transitional journeys, we’ve built lasting relationships along the way and it’s an honor to know that our care has the ability to turn patients and families’ feelings of apprehension, confusion and grief into those of peace, serenity, gratitude and thanks.”

The EvergreenHealth Gene & Irene Wockner Hospice Care Center, located on the EvergreenHealth campus, offers 15 private patient rooms, sleeping space for visitors, a main family room and full kitchens for guests, and beautiful lush gardens. Its team of providers, employees and volunteers has special expertise in the management of physical, emotional and spiritual needs that arise during end-of-life care, and help by providing space for a peaceful transition for patients to live as fully as possible, until the end of life.

To learn more about EvergreenHealth Hospice Care, visit www.evergreenhealth.com/hospice.