ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – On Thursday, U.P. Health System (UPHS) Hospice provided some comfort to those grieving a loved one this holiday season.
UPHS Hospice hosted its annual Memorial Ornament Exchange, as well as a service led by Pastor Lewis Hague. Community members who have lost a loved one in hospice care in the last year were invited to put an ornament on the Christmas tree in their honor. In return, each person received a handmade ornament with a quote about grief to take home and hang on their own tree.
“As hospice professionals, we see grief and how difficult it is on an everyday basis, but it’s even more difficult this time of year,” said UPHS Hospice Executive Administrator Andrew Porter. “The holidays bring back a lot of good memories for people, but those memories can be difficult when you’re experiencing your first holiday without your loved one. The ornaments remind you of your loved one and of the community that’s out there to support you. It’s just knowing someone cares about what you’re going through. “
Porter says as more ornaments fill the tree year after year, it will serve as a memorial to the lives of each person represented.
To learn more about U.P. Health System Hospice and services available, call (906) 212-4933 Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Visit the UPHS Hospice website or Facebook page for more information.
