Honoring Our Hospice Volunteers: The Sacred Act of Staying
NorthStar Care Community Presents: Life’s Big Moments
Listen as Hospice of Michigan volunteer Wanda shares what it means to be present during a bedside vigil, in conversation with Volunteer Coordinator Margo. She is one of more than 700 volunteers across the NorthStar Care Community whose compassion we are so grateful for each day.
Honoring our Hospice Volunteers: The Sacred Act of Staying
They come quietly,
not for recognition,
but because something in them knows
this moment matters.
Across the miles
from small towns to city streets
they carry the same gentle offering:
presence.
A chair pulled close,
a hand held without needing words,
the sacred hush
of simply staying.
They are witnesses to a life
softly closing its final chapter,
honored to sit in the in-between
where breath becomes memory,
and love lingers longest.
No spotlight finds them here,
only the quiet glow of a lamp,
the rhythm of another’s story
coming to rest.
And still, they remain
steady, reverent, grateful
knowing there is no greater privilege
than to not let someone leave this world
alone.
Spotlight on Volunteers
You can make a profound difference in the lives of our patients and their families. See the many ways you can join us. It could be your life’s best work.
Life’s Big Moments is a storytelling initiative by NorthStar Care Community that honors the people, relationships, and moments that shape our lives. Our mission is to normalize conversations and planning around end-of-life care—so meaningful, timely discussions can happen when they matter most.
NorthStar Care Community is a nationwide organization providing programs and services focused on quality end-of-life care.
Our commitment—Every Person. Every Time.—means doing what’s right for patients, families, community partners, referral sources, donors, employees, and volunteers alike. We offer palliative care, hospice care, caregiver education, and grief support, ensuring accessible care for everyone, no matter their age, diagnosis, or financial situation. We allow time for sharing both the big and the quiet moments that shape the lives of our patients, families, and caregivers.
If this story speaks to you, we invite you to share Life’s Big Moments with friends, family, or colleagues.Together, we can help create a more open and compassionate conversations about quality end-of-life care for all.
Read More Life's Big Moments
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For many veterans, military service is not simply part of their past, it is a part of who they are. Their stories, sacrifices, friendships and memories are carried for a lifetime, and at end of life, those memories often rise to the surface in deeply meaningful ways.
Counting What Counts
Heather shares a deeply personal story of love, gratitude, and the lessons her two remarkable sons continue to teach her. Through reflection and remembrance, she reveals how finding beauty in everyday moments has helped make each day a celebration of life.
The Roots of “Two Oak Trees”
Long before hospice and home care were widely understood, Lois Jelneck and Ingrid Deininger were quietly shaping what it meant to care for people at home in Ann Arbor, advocating for comfort, dignity, and being surrounded by those you love.
Stories
Veteran Stories
Personal Life's Big Moments
Caregiver/ Family Stories
Patient Stories
Beads of Courage Stories
Pediatric Stories
Media/ Partner Kit available soon!