HopeHealth

At Brown University's Annual Staff Development Day, approximately 50 staff members participated in Being Human: Understanding Grief in Everyday Life, presented by Deanna Upchurch, Senior Director of Community Relations & Clinical Outreach at HopeHealth and Teaching Associate at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and Janet Isserlis, Assistant Director of Brown University's Curricular Resource Center and HopeHealth volunteer.

The session explored the universal experiences of loss, change, and resilience, encouraging participants to reflect on how acknowledging grief can strengthen empathy, connection, and support in both personal and professional settings.

Swipe through to see examples of supportive language shared during the session and reminders of how we can show up for one another during difficult times.

Thank you to everyone who joined this thoughtful and meaningful conversation!

Caregiving can be rewarding, but it can also be stressful and emotionally exhausting. Everyone copes differently. For some, meditation provides a meaningful way to reduce stress, find balance, and recharge.

Our virtual Mindfulness Meditation for Caregivers group offers a chance to pause, reduce stress and anxiety, and reconnect with the present moment alongside others who understand the challenges of caregiving.

🧘 First & third Tuesdays of the month
⏰ 1–2 p.m. ET
Free and open to caregivers in all stages of their journey.

Register: [email protected]

Imagine having throat pain so severe that swallowing water—or even taking pain medication—becomes difficult.

For many people undergoing treatment for head and neck cancer, this is a daily challenge.

A newly published study in Annals of Palliative Medicine explores the use of a low-dose pain patch as another option for managing treatment-related pain when swallowing medications may be difficult.

Congratulations to Hope Health clinicians Kevin Dyer, MD, Mara Feingold-Link, MD, and Dana Guyer, MD, FAAHPM, along with their co-authors, on this important contribution to improving comfort and quality of life for people undergoing cancer treatment.

Read more:

A case series of patients with head and neck cancer undergoing curative-intent chemoradiation receiving low dose transdermal buprenorphine for pain - Dyer- Annals of Palliative Medicine A case series of patients with head and neck cancer undergoing curative-intent chemoradiation receiving low dose transdermal buprenorphine for pain

We are thrilled to share that HopeHealth has been awarded a $200,000 grant to expand our community engagement efforts. This investment will help us strengthen relationships throughout the communities we serve, reach more individuals and families, and connect people with the resources and care they need to live healthier lives.

At HopeHealth, we know that improving health starts with listening, building trust, and meeting people where they are. This funding will allow us to deepen that work, create new opportunities for outreach and partnership, and ensure more community voices help shape the services we provide.

We are grateful for this support and excited about what we can accomplish together. The impact of this grant will extend far beyond programs—it will help build stronger, healthier, and more connected communities.

HopeHealth receives $200K grant to expand community engagement efforts PROVIDENCE – HopeHealth, the second-oldest hospice organization in the country, says it has received a $200,000 grant from Papitto Opportunity Connection to support the launch of a new community engagement program aimed at connecting underserved people with grief support, palliative care services ...

Join Us at the Coventry Farmers Market!

On June 23, we'll be at the Coventry Farmers Market recruiting new volunteers to join our team, and we'd love to meet you!

If you're interested in getting involved and making a difference in our community, stop by and learn more about volunteer opportunities. Volunteer Coordinator Lavinia Phillips will be there to meet you.

Come say hello, connect with our team, and see how you can help make an impact. We hope to see you there! Learn more about our volunteer opportunities here: HopeHealthCo.org/Volunteer

Thank you to RINewsToday.com for covering our 50th anniversary gala!

Out & About in RI: HopeHealth 50th Anniversary Gala and Fundraising Success (photos) HopeHealth Hospice & Palliative Care 50th Anniversary Gala Raises Over $410K to Support Care for All who Need It - Gift of Hope Campaign Announced with $5.5 Million Fundraising Goal

Care rooted in dignity and compassion looks beyond medicine to focus on the whole person. In hospice and palliative care, we know that great care often includes understanding the beliefs, values, and sources of meaning that shape each person's journey.

A newly published article co-authored by HopeHealth physicians Dr. Rebecca MacDonell-Yilmaz and Dr. Dana Guyer, along with chaplains Michael Mercier and Jane Maglio, explores the role religious beliefs can play in end-of-life care.

Their collaboration reflects a core principle of hospice and palliative care: caring for the whole person—body, mind, and spirit.

Congratulations to the authors on this important contribution to advancing compassionate, patient-centered care.

Religious beliefs at end-of-life: implications for palliative care providers—a narrative review - Mercier- Annals of Palliative Medicine Religious beliefs at end-of-life: implications for palliative care providers—a narrative review

There's a dimension of grief that almost no one prepares you for. You're not just mourning the person you lost. You're mourning who you were with them — the spouse, the caregiver, the daughter, the version of yourself that existed because they did.

"With all of these things, your identity is wrapped up in the person that died," says Tess White, a grief counselor at HopeHealth. "So not only are you losing that person, but you're feeling like you're losing a piece of yourself."

It's one of the most common — and least-talked-about — parts of grief. And it's the focus of Life Beyond Loss: Discovering You, one of HopeHealth’s free support groups for the community. A new chapter, especially for young adults, launches this month.

In this blog, we share the inspiration behind the group, and tips for anyone who is rediscovering their identity after a loss.

Grief & identity: How loss reshapes who we are — and what to do next - HopeHealth When someone central to your life dies, it often brings a loss of self too. A HopeHealth grief counselor shares how to begin rebuilding your...

We're excited to welcome Teddy, a 2-year-old therapy dog, and his handler, Linda, to the HopeHealth volunteer team!

Teddy will be visiting the HopeHealth Hulitar Hospice Center each week, bringing comfort, companionship, and plenty of smiles to patients, families, and staff. 💙

Linda brings 34 years of experience as a physical therapist, specializing in caring for people living with chronic pain. Her compassion, dedication, and caring spirit make her a wonderful addition to our volunteer program.

We are so grateful that Linda and Teddy have chosen to share their time and kindness with the HopeHealth community. Please join us in giving Teddy a warm welcome!

To join our pet therapy team, visit HopeHealthCo.org/Volunteer

Caregiving can feel overwhelming, no matter where you are in the journey.

HopeHealth's free virtual caregiver groups provide a safe space to connect with others who understand, gain support, and access helpful resources.

Whether you're caring for a loved one at home, supporting someone from a distance, or just beginning to navigate caregiving, you're welcome.

💙 General Caregiver Support Group
💙 Mindfulness Meditation for Caregivers

Open to anyone in the Rhode Island and Massachusetts community, as well as anyone caring for a HopeHealth patient, regardless of location.

To register: [email protected]
Learn more: HopeHealthCo.org/CaregiverSupportGroups