From left to right: Cherry Jo Miracle, Former Co-Director;
Karen Veronica, Executive Director; Marie Bishop,
RN/Clinical Coordinator.
For Immediate Release
Date: October 10, 2007
Contact: Karen Veronica: 419.946.9822 hmcdirector@redbird.net
Mount. Gilead, Ohio: The Board of Directors of Hospice of Morrow County announced the appointment of a new executive director. John May, President of the Board, said, "Hospice of Morrow County has changed its organizational structure by reverting back to having one Executive Director. The Hospice board feels this type of structure will maintain good management and better prepare us for future challenges. The board is proud to introduce Karen Veronica as the new Hospice Executive Director and she has our full support as we move forward."
Recently Ms. Veronica moved home to Ohio from Connecticut to be near her three grandchildren in Mt. Gilead, her granddaughter in Gahanna and her sister in Columbus. Before coming here, her career was varied. She worked as a crisis counselor, directed a parent-teen Askable Parent Program in New York City and in 1989 founded a residential hospice called Bread & Roses. Bread & Roses had as its mission providing beauty and nourishment to everyone who came to the hospice guesthouse to live and die. With her leadership, a hard-working Board of Directors and an array of dedicated volunteers converted her 100-year old house into an award-winning, family-style hospice known for its compassionate, cost-effective, around-the-clock care.
In late summer this year Hospice of Morrow County started the transition to its new structure. Two new nurses were hired, Ms. Miracle moved on to other work and Ms. Bishop of Mt.Gilead became the RN/Clinical Care Coordinator. Ms. Veronica said, “Ms. Bishop and Ms. Miracle led the organization through major growth and development including a move from the original headquarters in the old Victorian house on Marion Road to the beautiful, renovated building on South Street. “We are very grateful for their dedication, loyalty and hard work.”
Now Hospice has a staff of five nurses; four are R.N.s and one is an LPN. Every day they drive all over the county to take care of terminally ill patients in their own homes. Additionally, there is a nurse on call every night so if a patient or a family member needs something there is help available. Ms. Bishop, who directs the clinical staff, is a native of Morrow County and has been at Hospice for almost 15 years. She says, “I enjoy working with the dedicated team of professionals as we care for people who are making their final journey.”
Jessie Frank volunteers his time as the Hospice Medical Director. Dr. Frank is board-certified in Hospice and Palliative Care and has been a presenter at Ohio Hospice and Palliative Care Organization conferences. He opened his private practice in Marengo in 1989 and is also an Assistant Clinical Professor at The Ohio State University and Ohio University. Dr. Frank and his wife Molly have five children and he has been involved in mission work in Haiti.
“The Hospice team of employees is wonderful,” said Ms. Veronica. “The care is excellent. I am very impressed. Here in Morrow County, Hospice is small enough to give every patient and family all the time they need to get pain relief, comfort care, and emotional support.”
Hospice of Morrow County began in 1992 when Frances Turner, then the Director of Nursing for the County Health Department, recognized that very ill individuals and their families had unique medical and emotional needs surrounding end-of-life issues. Mrs. Turner established a Board of Directors and hired a nurse to care for individuals who were terminally ill. Ms. Turner and her colleagues brought the dream of Hospice to reality for Morrow County.
Current Hospice Board members are: Herb Baldwin, Tod Brininger, Mary Jo Corwin, Donna Dorsten Gene Gompf, Clara Hilton, Ed Kline, Mike Lancaster, John May, Jennifer Simpson, Frances Turner, Gill Ullom and Noni Wheeler.
Hospice serves not only people with cancer but everyone with life-limiting conditions. The nurses relieve the stresses of managing medical and emotional aspects of serious illness and are available to patients and families in Morrow County. Its mission is to give hope, comprehensive and comforting care to persons and their families toward the end of life through a compassionate team.
For more information people can stop by, meet the staff, learn about volunteering and visit the new office or call or email Karen Veronica, 419.946.9822; hmcdirector@redbird.net.
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