September 2016 Featured Volunteer: Cottie del Rosario

TRF’s Volunteer of the Month for September 2016 is Cottie del Rosario!

A retired church worker who loves to bake, Cottie servant-heartedly uses her studies and experience in church as a venue to counsel and pray for our patients. She faithfully volunteers with us once a week and is a jolly and dedicated member of our team.

Q&A with COTTIE

How did you come to volunteer for TRF?

Nurse Mitch informed me that TRF was looking for a spiritual counselor last summer of 2016. I readily said yes and since then I became a part of the TRF volunteer pool.

Describe the activities you volunteered for. Why did you choose them?

I volunteered as a counselor. Since I studied to be one, I think that I can effectively help in TRF by rendering counseling services.

What were your expectations as a volunteer?

All of my expectations as a spiritual counselor were met. Looking forward though, I would like to be involved more in one-on-one counseling. That way I can help patients and their family members more, journeying with them as they face difficult challenges in life.

How has the experience changed your life? What are your key reflections/lessons?

No matter what situation a person is going through, bringing the love of God to them by listening to what they feel and praying for them makes such a difference.nThis experience has stirred up my compassion for others so much. I always feel my heart smiling after each home visitation.

I have also come to realize that since our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, we should take good care of it by choosing to eat healthy.

Thank you Cottie!

Flowers for Hope

Written by Niki Guloy

A few months ago, a viral video told the story of a New York-based service that repurposes wedding flowers and gives them away. This was the story of the lovely ladies at Repeat Roses.

After large events generate large amounts of waste, Repeat Roses recycles the compostable waste and sends still-fresh flowers off to nursing homes and hospitals. There they can be appreciated by patients and people needing a spot of color to their day.

Almost time to deliver the restyled arrangements. How cheerful do these lovelies look? Excited to share this rainbow of beautiful blooms in the Baltimore community! #itschictoshare #joy #kindness #generousbride #weddingflowers #payitforward #nature #beauty #flowers #rainbow #cheerful #happinessis #flowerpower #flowerstagram #dogood #community #baltimore #charmcity #nowaste #zerowaste #sustainability #compost #recycle #repurpose #ecochic #ecofriendly #repeatroses

We do all we can at The Ruth Foundation to spread hope. Our team was inspired by the Repeat Roses mission, and thought it would be a great project to have for our own patients. In fact, we knew a lovely couple who was getting married in a few weeks. They kindly, selflessly donated their wedding flowers. A large bunch of fragrant white roses and delicate white carnations filled our office the day after the wedding.

Over the next couple of days, we went to several homes to deliver the flowers, alternating the deliveries between volunteers and the medical team. Our home visits are usually for wound care and check-ups: this time, we were delivering a bit of good cheer and well wishes.

I joined the volunteers the day they visited some homes. That day, we got a glimpse into some of our patients’ lives. Each house told a different story, a short chapter of a richer novel. The stories are too long to fit in here so we’ll save them for another time. At each home though, no matter how brief, we saw just how important hope was to every person.

The beauty of flowers is in the memories associated with them. Flowers speak of grand events, like weddings and celebrations. Bouquets are offered in congratulations during graduations and parenthood. Fragrant long-stemmed blooms are given in courtship. Even when they are delivered to sadder moments, like hospital rooms or funerals, flowers are brought by people who care and represent love.

When we see flowers, we are reminded that we are never truly alone. The greatest lesson we learned that day was that kindness brings hope – whether through gifts, prayer, or even a friendly smile.

August 2016 Featured Volunteer: Loida Gutierrez

TRF’s Volunteer of the Month for August 2016 is Loida Gutierrez!

A registered nurse pursuing her doctorate in counseling, Loida has been helping out with The Ruth Foundation for several months. She has assisted our in-house social workers and counselors in assessing the situations of our patients and their families.

Q&A with LOIDA

How did you come to volunteer for TRF?

A few months back, I had already been thinking of finding somewhere to volunteer. Then a colleague from the College of Nursing-DLSHSI, Dr. Resty Tan, introduced me to TRF (The Ruth Foundation). Feeling that God has already done many great and good things in my life, I found it necessary to share this with others by getting involved with the foundation’s advocacy.

What were your expectations as a volunteer?

I volunteered because I felt the work would increase my awareness and sensitivity to the many people who feel helpless and hopeless – the people who are silently seeking and craving for help.

Describe the activities you volunteered for. Why did you choose them?

Since I am studying for a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology, being part of the TRF counseling group became a good option.

How has the experience changed your life? What are your key reflections/lessons?

I am privileged to be used by God in this ministry. To God be the glory! And my sincere appreciation to TRF.

Thank you Loida!

A Father’s Sacrifices

Written by Niki Guloy

With Father’s Day right around the corner, we want to appreciate all the amazing dads who remind us what love is.

One such man is someone we met on our home visits. Meet Lolo Leoncio, 97 years old. Not only is he the father of one of our patients– a 66-year-old woman partially paralysed from a stroke– he is her main caregiver! Despite his age, Leoncio is strong and well. He helps his daughter with her daily routine, watches over her, and keeps her company. In these trying times, he is her rock. They live in a simple home, but their support comes from one another. Our team has visited them several times now, and despite his daughter’s condition she perseveres. She’s got a fighting spirit — one she obviously gets from her father.

Fathers like Leoncio show love through their sacrifices. To have your dad by your side when you need him most is a blessing to cherish. While you can, let your dads know you love them too.

Sonoran Winds Stakeholders Symposium

“Because every day matters.”

This is the company slogan of Sonoran Winds Hospice, a hospice center based in Buena Park, California that began operations in 2014. Last May 17, in partnership with The Ruth Foundation, Sonoran Winds held a dinner symposium at the Palms Country Club. Invited heads from hospitals, insurance and pharmaceutical companies, hospice centers, and others in the healthcare business sat down and exchanged ideas on the promising future of palliative and hospice care in the Philippines.

Distinguished guests got to enjoy a sumptuous dinner for the evening.

Smile! Friendly volunteers and staff greeted the guests as they arrived.

A buffet line was set-up outside, along with information on each of the foundations.

The program began with a series of opening messages from well-known palliative care and cancer care specialists in the Philippines. They spoke of the current situation of hospice care in the country.

The president of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Council of the Philippines, Dr. Agnes Bausa, spoke on the burden of hospice in the Philippines.

Dr. Rachel Rosario, executive director of the Philippine Cancer Society, speaking on the evolution of hospice care in the Philippines over the past 20 years.

Dr. Rumalie Corvera, president & CEO of The Ruth Foundation, opened the event and gave a talk on the Filipino response to the burden of hospice care.

The evening culminated in a presentation by the president, chairman & CEO of Sonoran Winds Hospice, Anthony J. Ferrio, and an open forum with all the speakers.

President, chairman and CEO of Sonoran Winds Hospice, AJ Ferrio

Open forum with all our speakers

Closing remarks by Dr. Rhodora Ocampo

More pictures are available online on Facebook. You may also learn more about Sonoran Winds Hospice at the links below.

Sonoran Winds Hospice

WEBSITE: sonoranwindshospice.com
FACEBOOK PAGE: facebook.com/sonoranwindshospice