Beth Ann Owen and her family understand this all too well. They began their generous support of McLeod Hospice after her father was in need of this compassionate care.

“I am a nurse by profession,” Beth Ann said. “I knew what hospice was, but I did not become intimately involved with hospice until my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 1996.”

Beth Ann’s father was fortunate to have insurance and the financial means to cover unforeseen needs during his illness. But many other patients are in difficult situations and see those unanticipated needs go unmet.

Serving has always played a profound role in Beth Ann’s life. So, when she learned about the establishment of the Butterfly Fund she wanted to be involved. Beth Ann readily agreed to chair the Advisory Committee.

She explained, “By meeting the needs of others and removing the financial stress, we are helping caregivers provide a calmer, more peaceful environment for their loved ones in the end stages of life.”

Nurse practitioners and social workers who care for patients in their homes see the sad realities every day.

They see difficult living conditions like holes in the floor and regularly encounter patients who must choose between paying for electricity or their medications. The needs are real.

Gifts to the Butterfly Fund provide funding to meet critical, immediate needs for Hospice and Palliative care patients who struggle financially during their time of care.

Because of loyal supporters like you, the Butterfly Fund has been able to help patients like 50-year-old, Marianne — a McLeod Hospice patient. She and her husband are both disabled and moved south when they became homeless. McLeod staff helped them find a home they could afford to rent. Through your gifts, Marianne’s home received minor repairs to make her life and care easier.

Beth Ann and all who care for these patients are grateful for generous donors like you who believe in the Butterfly Fund.