Sunnyvale, California (PRWEB) October 11, 2012
Over 600 supporters of Pathways Hospice gathered in Palo Alto on Friday, October 5th at the One from the Heart Awards Breakfast to celebrate the hospice agency?s 35 years of service to the community. When Pathways Home Health & Hospice opened its doors in 1977, it served 12 patients. Since that time, Pathways has served over 75,000 patients and their families.
This popular annual breakfast, now in its 22nd year, also honored a physician, volunteer and organization with special Anniversary Awards for their contribution towards promoting the Pathways mission: to provide compassionate, family-centered care wherever their patients call home.
The 35th Anniversary Physician Award was given to Dr. Paula Kushlan, a longtime Bay Area oncologist, in recognition of her strong advocacy for dignity and compassionate care in treating those with serious illness. Dr. Kushlan sees patients at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. For 35 years she has guided people through the daunting diagnosis of cancer and views her work as ?a passion and a privilege.?
Doreta Strotman received the 35th Anniversary Volunteer Award in appreciation of her deep commitment and tireless volunteering at Pathways. Her husband, Dale Strotman, received hospice care from Pathways seven years ago. She has since devoted almost 4,000 hours in service and helps daily in the Foundation office at Pathways. In addition to providing administrative help at Pathways, Doreta, an accomplished musician, often plays the piano at Pathways events.
The 35th Anniversary Organization Award was given to Los Altos United Methodist Church for their long support of Pathways and service to the community. With a progressive and engaged congregation of 2,500, Los Altos United Methodist Church has generously made rooms on its church campus available for Pathways bereavement groups and memorial gatherings. Many of their congregants participate directly in Pathways? work through outreach to patients and families.
This year?s One from the Heart Awards Breakfast was well-attended and inspiring. The featured speaker, Jon Katz, shared joy- and love-filled stories about visiting hospice patients with his specially-trained dog. Emmy, Peabody, and Murrow Award winner Rita Williams of KTVU Channel 2 returned for her 13th year as host. Since it began, the One from the Heart Awards Breakfast has raised more than $ 4 million in support of hospice and home health services.
