The Gift of Time

The greatest gift that the hospice team can give a patient and his family is time. Taking the time to examine the patient carefully and thoroughly. Taking the time to learn all the details of his medical history. But most important, taking the time to listen - to a patient lying in bed, to a distressed family member phoning in the middle of the night. Taking the time just to "be there" with a patient.

A hospice without volunteers is not a hospice. The volunteers can do the many important tasks for which the professional team does not have the time. Volunteers can do those special things just listed. Volunteers can go shopping for a patient. Volunteers can sit with a patient and thereby enable family members to shed their heavy burdens and get out of the house for a few hours.

Volunteers can keep track of birthdays and yahrzeits and follow up with the family after the death of the patient. Volunteers with professional qualifications can provide services that the hospice cannot afford to provide by paid staff - social services, physiotherapy, music therapy, fundraising, and many others.

Hands-on volunteers in Israel are vital to the successful operation of HUG. Equally important is your financial support through a meaningful tax-free gift.