Testimonials & Hospice Stories

Hospice Stories

Our Promise to Becca and Jenny

The Weiss girls found purpose after their father's death.

Becca Weiss drew this picture when she was 9 to thank the Jewish social worker who reached out to her twin, Jenny, and her while their father was dying.

Eleven years later, Barbara Haddad proudly displays the drawing inside her office. She was the twins' social worker.

"The girls touched my heart, and Becca's picture reminds me of why I do this work," says Barbara, director of Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network's LifeLinks program.

Barbara came into Becca and Jenny's lives after their father, Allen, was diagnosed with Shy-Drager Syndrome, a rare and incurable neurodegenerative disease. She was part of a hospice team that came into the Weiss home to provide care for Allen, his wife, Cheryl, and their young daughters.

Allen required full-time assistance, and Cheryl, a Detroit teacher, had to work every day and look after the girls.

"I was trying to do it all by myself," Cheryl recalls. "I felt like we were all dying too."

Barbara: The Queen

Barbara counseled the twins, playing dress up, doing art therapy and earning the title "The Queen" during her first home visit. She helped arrange for nurses, home-health aides and volunteers to take care of Allen's needs. She made sure the shelves were stocked with Allen's favorite foods because "food was the one thing he could still enjoy."

Sadly, Allen died at 48 after a 13-month struggle, yet the spiritual and compassionate care provided by the hospice team left a strong impression on his family.

Giving back

During middle school, Becca and Jenny ran a support group for other students who lost parents. And, at the girls' Bat Mitzvah, JHCN President David Techner led the hospice workers in lighting a candle.

After watching their dad lose his ability to speak, Becca and Jenny, now 20, decided to study speech pathology at Michigan State University. The girls also volunteer in the JHCN office during college breaks. Recently, they updated the computer database. Cheryl, too, volunteers for JHCN.

Joining the hospice team

"When our dad was sick, they took care of everything and took our minds off of everything," Becca says. "Now we're giving something back."

Adds Jenny: "I wanted to be just like Barb. I always think about how she helped us. We love helping Jewish Hospice. We just do little stuff here, but we know by doing it, we are helping other people. Plus we get to see Barb."

For Barbara, their bittersweet story brings JHCN's influence full circle.

"The Weiss family reinforces my own belief that hospice care improves life for people who are dying, and makes things better for those who love them. They are now part of our team."

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