Home Health United - Visiting Nurse Service Foundation Grants Holiday Wish
The Sebranek family shows off gifts provided as part of their wish.
Inside the Sebranek household on December 21, everything appeared in order as a traditional family dinner for the holidays was taking place. Six kids were waiting around the kitchen table for dinner to be served, singing songs, teasing each other, and talking about what they wanted for Christmas. One thing was apparent though; they were missing dad.
Ryan Sebranek, a 40-year-old U.S. Military veteran who has been deployed twice, couldn't be there for the gathering. He is currently in the VA Hospital in Madison battling ALS after receiving hospice services at home for several months.
"We as a hospice team wanted to make sure the family was still able to have their holiday traditions since their focus is obviously elsewhere during this time," said Sue Everson RN, Home Health United hospice nurse and the case manager for Sebranek. "The Foundation provided funds to buy the meal and some gifts for the family."
The funds Everson refers to are from the Home Health United - Visiting Nurse Service Foundation. The Foundation recently established a Granting Wishes program to enable wishes of hospice patients to be fulfilled.
Sandi Sebranek, Ryan's wife, knows how wonderful this was for the kids. With Ryan in the hospital and not working, "You've been a huge blessing," said Sandi. "This was amazing. It's really sweet that you want to take care of us and care about our kids."
Although Ryan had been moved to the VA hospital prior to the wish being granted, Sandi remained positive he was still there in spirit. "Without your hospice team there's no way we could have kept him at home as long as we did. Without Sue's (Everson) help whenever we needed her, he might not have made it through this last time because we otherwise wouldn't have known how bad it was."
Sandi expressed her thanks not only for HHU - Hospice and the Foundation's Granting Wishes program, but for everyone in the community that came together to make this night special for them.
To learn more about HHU - Hospice or the HHU - VNS Foundation, please visit www.HomeHealthUnited.org. To help make another hospice patient's wish a reality, please contact Pam Godfrey at 608-276-7590 or PGodfrey@hhuvns.org.