Many of the participants at this year’s Hike for Hospice will be remembering Marnie Hodge as they walk.
Hodge, who died at Hospice House last Aug. 31, was an example of the theme of this year’s event, Let’s Work Together. She beat breast cancer in 1996 and then discovered that the cancer had spread to her liver in 2001. She went ahead and did her nursing refresher course anyway and worked at Vernon Jubilee Hospital, including time in the cancer clinic.
“I think she found her calling when she came to work at Hospice House. She got her palliative care specialization and she liked working with families to help them resolve end-of-life relationships and say the important things that need to be said,” said her husband, Nick Hodge.
In 2006, Marnie Hodge became organization development leader with the North Okanagan Hospice Society.
“She brought her education, experience and life skills to look at the future of hospice programing. She helped us move our services forward. She was a big thinker and she excelled at looking at the entire issue,” said Ruth Edwards, executive director of the society.
While Marnie Hodge was working and taking medical treatment, she kept active in other community volunteer work and spent time with her husband and two grown children. She and Nick had a vacation and Marnie helped her daughter with plans for a fall wedding. She took part in last year’s Hike for Hospice and was the top individual fundraiser.
“She gave her all to whatever she was involved in at the moment,” said Nick Hodge.
The staff members at Hospice House knew she was losing strength and they remained helpful and encouraging. It was Marnie who helped the staff in this difficult time together.
“She led a discussion about how things were and what her expectations were. She even had a room picked out. However, she was still hopeful at that time because she had had her ups and downs before and come back. We all wanted to be hopeful,” said Edwards.
Marnie started a new chemotherapy treatment in her last week of work and she and her family had talked about what would happen when the time came for her to be a Hospice House client. With typical concern for others, she did not want to go too soon and possibly take up a bed that someone else could use or be a burden to anyone with the knowledge of how sick she really was.
She worked until the Thursday of her last week and was too tired to go in on Friday.
“I had been optimistic until she didn’t respond to the new chemo. The care team leader came to the house on Sunday to talk to us and she made the decision. She even had her bag packed,” said Nick.
“The family was able to be here and there was a great outpouring of support and gratitude for her. We were just taken care of with the greatest respect and concern, as everyone is.”
He was sleeping in her room when she died peacefully in her sleep in the early morning, after three days in Hospice House. The family appreciates the support of the hospice society after Marnie’s death. Nick took part in a grief and bereavement group which was very important to him.
“It was remarkable to be in a room where everyone had experienced loss. Each experience was different but we could all talk about it and understand,” he said.
Nick is proud to be able to support the work Marnie believed in so deeply. He had been doing contract work in accounting for the society and when the financial officer position became available he was asked to take the job.
“Working here there are overwhelming feelings sometimes. I remember Marnie and the work she did here. People tell me how much she meant to them. There have been so many changes. I have had to close my accounting office but I haven’t been as happy in a long time. This organization is so important for the community and it all started with a few volunteers visiting and providing grief counseling,” he said.
Edwards said the society has grown because of community support.
“It’s all because of the community behind us, the volunteer and financial-based support. The community can see that what we do is important and that we spend those donated volunteer hours and dollars wisely,” she said.
Hike for Hospice 2012 Let’s Work Together takes place May 6 at Polson Park. The goal is to raise $30,000 for grief and bereavement programs. The event starts with the Armstrong Lions Club $5 pancake breakfast with proceeds donated to Hospice House from 8 a.m. to 9:40 a.m. Registration starts at 9:15 a.m. with the walk, any distance that people want to do, starting at 10 a.m. People are encouraged to enter together or in teams and to start getting pledges as soon as possible.
For registration and more information see www.nohs.ca or call 250-503-1800.
