Published: October 31, 2009 12:37 am      

FUNDRAISER: Niagara Hospice looks to match funds

The Patrick P. Lee Foundation has committed $150,000 in matching funds to Niagara Hospice to help fund the expansion of Niagara Hospice House. The matching grant will support the addition of two hospice suites at the facility.

Niagara Hospice House is Niagara County’s only hospice house, providing services to patients and their families who are not able to receive home hospice care. It consists of two wings: the residential wing holds eight suites specifically designed for patients who need residential hospice care; the in-patient wing has 10 suites designed for patients needing short-term medical monitoring and symptom management, but don’t require hospitalization. “In addition to providing residential and medical services to our patients, the home-like surroundings of Niagara Hospice House have allowed us to treat families like family by hosting small pre-prom and graduation gatherings and, most recently, a wedding service and reception for one of our patients and her family,” said Niagara Hospice Board President, Paul Collins.

Located on the Niagara Hospice campus on Sunset Drive in the Town of Lockport, the 24,000-square foot facility was opened in June 2007. Several weeks after opening, the eight residential beds of Hospice House reached full occupancy. Since that time, the facility has maintained a 95 percent or higher occupancy rate.

Niagara Hospice President & CEO John Lomeo stated, “The Patrick P. Lee Foundation support will help provide expanded hospice services to more Niagara County residents. It is our hope that this gift will be matched by our friends and families in the community who have been touched by hospice care.” Niagara Hospice has launched an expansion campaign to help raise the funds to meet the challenge of the Patrick P. Lee Foundation grant. The two-suite expansion has a projected cost of $300,000. The community is invited to learn more about this project, and how they can help meet the challenge by contacting Lomeo or Development Coordinator, Tom LaChiusa, at 439-4417.

Established in 2005, the Patrick P. Lee Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to providing support to non-profit organizations that empower families and communities with the resources needed to create positive change in the areas of education, cancer treatment/ research, mental health and human services.

Since serving its first patient in 1988, Niagara Hospice has served over 14,000 individuals as well as their immediate and extended families. Hospice is specialized care for the terminally ill that includes physical care, emotional care, spiritual care and bereavement care for families. Hospice care is appropriate for any advanced stage illness, not just cancer, where the prognosis is a life expectancy of approximately six months or less. For more information, visit NiagaraHospice.org or call 439-4417.