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Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Hospice House: Where care, compassion and life’s journey converge


INDIANAPOLIS – End-of-life care is an emotional and deeply personal journey for patients and their families, who often find themselves needing a variety of resources. They soon will have a new place to find the support they need.

Franciscan St. Francis Health will break ground on its Hospice House at 2:30 p.m., Thursday, June 12 at its future location on hospital’s south side campus. With hospital leaders, donors and other dignitaries on hand, the project signals the realization of a long time goal of Franciscan Alliance Foundation St. Francis Health.

“For the last two years we have aggressively ramped up our campaign to build a free-standing hospice facility, complementing the exceptional home hospice and palliative care services that we have provided for more than two decades to 4,000 families in south-central Indiana,” said Robert J. Brody, president and chief executive officer for Franciscan St. Francis.

Financed by privately raised funds and by matching contributions provided by the Mishawaka, Ind.-based Franciscan Alliance, the free-standing facility features:
·        Private rooms for patients and families
·        Large common area for families, kitchen
·        Chapel and prayer garden
·        Will provide high-quality, holistic care for all patients, families, and loved ones, regardless of their financial situations
·        Only facility of its kind between far north side of Indianapolis and Columbus

The facility and staff anticipate serving more than 600 families annually after its completion date in 2015. And it also is the fulfillment of mission of Franciscan Alliance.

“One of our core values is the gift of life is so valued and that each person is cared for with such joy, respect, dignity, fairness and compassion so that he or she is consciously aware of being loved’,” said Sister Jane Marie Klein, OSF, chairperson of Franciscan Alliance Board of 
Trustees, who was present for the announcement. “Whether assisting through the miracle of childbirth, nursing a patient back to health, or caring for them during the dying process – our system carries on Christ’s healing and teaching ministries.”

Following a private reception and recognition of major donors, participants will gather at the groundbreaking site for a ceremony led by Sister Marlene Shapley, OSF, vice president of mission services; Father John Mannion of spiritual care services; Steve Beck, who chairs the local Foundation; and The Rev. Monsignor Joseph Schadel of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.

Total gifts, pledges and matching funds have propelled the project to near its $10 million total construction cost. The campaign will seek to raise an additional $2 million to establish an endowment to sustain Hospice House well into the future.


Tonn and Blank Construction, which has coordinated many Franciscan Alliance building projects, will handle the construction of Hospice House.