HOW YOU CARED FOR PATIENTS & FAMILIES
In 2025, your generosity embraced our community with care, dignity, and comfort—every step of the way. Thank you!
3,945 222,727 378
1,519 6,277 296
What Our CEO WANTS YOU TO KNOW
How You Can Help
Thanks to donor support, we care for more than 5,000 people and their families each year. Last year, our community of more than 3,600 donors gave $3.75 million to help people who need us the most.
Your belief in Hospice of the Chesapeake means dignity, comfort, and compassionate care for all.
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Make an online gift today or use the enclosed envelope
Dear Friends,
One of the most meaningful parts of my role is hearing from families we have served. Recently, this note crossed my desk:
“I want to thank all of you who took such good care of my mother in her last weeks and months. Thanks to you, her final journey was comfortable, painless, and peaceful. Your care brought comfort to me as well—I knew she was in good hands.”
Messages like this stay with us. They remind us why this work matters. They are also a reflection of what your support makes possible for families across our community.
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Remember a loved one with a memorial gift or a brick on campus
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Say yes to attending an exciting event!
It’s often said that it’s a privilege to be present when someone enters the world. I believe it is just as profound a privilege to be present when someone leaves it.
—Karen Crosby, RN.
Scan here to give now.
At Hospice of the Chesapeake, our care teams and volunteers show up each day with compassion, skill, and deep respect for every patient and family. In the pages ahead, you will see just a few of the stories that reflect that commitment.
You will also see how we are looking forward.
By 2030, one in four Marylanders will be age 65 or older. Meeting the needs of an aging community requires more than excellent clinical care—it calls for strong collaboration across healthcare, community services, and neighbors helping neighbors.
That is why we are proud to welcome Partners In Care Maryland, Inc. into our family of services through Chesapeake Health Partners. Together, we are strengthening a network of support that helps older adults remain independent, connected, and cared for through every stage of aging and illness. Read more on page 7.
This work is deeply collaborative. It includes our care teams, volunteers, community partners—and supporters like you. Thank you for being part of this shared commitment to expert, compassionate care.
Gratefully,
Becky Miller President & CEO
On the Cover: Every August, children and teens Camp Nabi. Camp activities – art, swimming, s’mores over a campfire—blend with grief support. Because of you, children as young as 6 have a safe place to share their feelings and begin to heal after loss.
You made a difference
JOHN’S LAST DAY WAS FILLED WITH SUNSHINE
Thanks to donors like you, one family’s final goodbye included birds singing and rays of sunshine instead of hospital noise and white walls.
Sandy Knode spent 35 years as a social worker guiding others through trauma. But when her husband John died in April 2024, she discovered what so many families already know: professional knowledge doesn’t shield you from personal loss.
John had battled chronic lung disease for years. By 2024, frequent hospitalizations, infections, and painful procedures had taken their toll.
“No more treatment,” he told Sandy and their children. The family wanted to honor John’s final wishes and turned to Hospice of the Chesapeake.
Because of supporters like you, John received care at the Rebecca Fortney Inpatient Care Center in Pasadena, where a medical team managed his complex medical needs with skill and compassion.
But what your generosity made possible went far beyond medical care.
On John’s last day, nurses wheeled John’s bed on to the patio overlooking the garden. Family and friends gathered. Their minister came. Even their dog, Sadie—John’s beloved Chocolate Lab—was there.
John felt the sunshine on his face. They listened to the birds and heard water bubbling in the fountains.
“My husband had a beautiful life,” Sandy says. “Hospice gave him a beautiful death.”
After nearly 53 years of marriage, Sandy’s grief was overwhelming. She turned to individual and group counseling for help.
Expanded Care for Patients
“There, at my grief support group, I found my tribe, people who understood the heartache,” she says.
“When someone says they understand, they truly do.” That’s the value of the hospice approach after a loss, she believes. “In a group, we help each other move forward.”
Nearly two years after John’s passing, she remains grateful for the care provided by the hospice team and for the support afterward. She treasures John’s last day in the garden, with family, birds, and sunshine warming his face.
Your generosity makes moments like these possible — peaceful goodbyes, expert care, and grief support long after a loved one’s passing.
If you or someone you love needs support, visit our website, call, or scan the code. chesapeakelifecenter.org
Hospice is healthcare. Our care teams focus on caring for all patients throughout the journey of illness and loss, regardless of the complexity of their illness or diagnosis. For example, specialized care for patients with lung and cardiac disease and dementia, addresses symptoms, eases pain, and reduces anxiety.
These expanded therapies are offered to high-risk patients whose underlying diseases and hospice diagnoses make their need for symptom management and pain relief all that more profound. Care teams provide IV therapy, wound care, pain management, and 24/7 nursing support. Freestanding inpatient centers in Pasadena and Waldorf provide high-f low oxygen—an option no other local hospice has.
Covered through donor support, these therapies focus on partnership and education for providers, patients, and families. The goal? For Hospice of the Chesapeake to deliver the right level of care, at the right time, for patients, regardless of diagnosis.
John and Sandy Knode were married nearly 53 years
Your Legacy of Care
REMEMBERING PHOEBE
Ten years ago, a little girl who loved penguins left a mark on her community that remembers her today.
Phoebe Jeong-Hui Ward was curious, energetic, and full of questions about the world. She was just 8 years old when doctors diagnosed her with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare, life-threatening autoimmune disorder.
Her parents, Dave and Britta Ward, fought alongside her, with countless doctor visits, tests, and treatments including chemotherapy and steroids. But after five long months in the hospital, the focus shifted from cure to comfort. Dave and Britta wanted Phoebe to spend the remaining time surrounded by love and comforts of home.
It was time for hospice.
In those final months, Hospice of the Chesapeake created moments her family treasures. One cherished memory was a visit from keepers at Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, who brought a pair of lively penguins—Phoebe's favorite—to her bedside. Even during serious illness, there was space for joy.
Chesapeake Kids Brings Hope
When a child is seriously ill—or grieving someone they love—fear can be hard to name and harder to carry alone. Chesapeake Kids ensures they don’t have to.
Through pediatric hospice care and specialized grief support, children and teens receive counseling, healing activities, and guidance designed just for them. Families receive support, too, because when a child is hurting, everyone hurts. Yet, many children’s grief services and aspects of pediatric hospice care are not fully covered by insurance.
No child or family in our community should have to face serious illness or loss alone—and with you, they won’t.
Your support fills the gap between what insurance covers and what families need and deserve when facing illness and loss.
At age 9, Phoebe died at home, surrounded by family and love. The grief was paralyzing.
Dave and Britta talked with bereavement counselors as they came to terms with the loss of their daughter. Their son, Camden, found connection through Phoenix Rising, a weekend retreat for teens, and Camp Nabi, a grief camp.
Grief care does not end at the funeral. For the Ward family, that support mattered deeply.
In honor of Phoebe, her parents founded Fight for Phoebe — raising awareness of HLH and supporting children and families facing serious illness. For the first few years, family friends held a fun run/walk to support children with HLH and Hospice of the Chesapeake.
Post-Covid, Dave and Britta have invited family and friends to an annual fundraiser at Brian Boru Irish Pub in Severna Park and have hosted an online fundraiser for those who cannot attend. Their years-long commitment has raised almost $50,000 for children’s programs.
“Grief never goes away,” says Dave. “It hits us at different times and moments.” Last year was especially hard, adds Britta. “It would have been Phoebe’s high school graduation. She should be in college this year. We’ve had more time without her, than with her.”
Because of compassionate supporters like you, families like the Wards receive expert care in the hardest moments, and grief support that continues long after. Phoebe’s legacy lives on in every child helped through Fight for Phoebe and Hospice of the Chesapeake.
Phoebe Ward was in 3rd grade when she passed away.
HOSPICE WAS PART OF CINDY’S VILLAGE
JOIN
US IN SPRING, SUMMER, AND FALL
Boots & Bling:
A Culinary Experience
Friday • May 8
Rod 'N' Reel Resort
Fashion for a Cause
Thursday • June 4
The Fluegel Alumni Center
St. Charles Running Festival
Saturday • September 12
Regency Furniture Stadium
Annual Golf Tournament
Thursday • September 24
Queenstown Harbor
End of Summer Luau
Thursday • October 1
Kurtz Beach
Sip & Savor:
A Taste of Prince George's
Sunday • November 15
Newton White Mansion
The day after Thanksgiving, while most families were eating leftovers, Cindy Horsmon began hospice care.
Just months before, she and her husband, Chris, were doing all they could to fight brain cancer. After her diagnosis in March 2023, the couple tried everything doctors suggested— chemotherapy, radiation, and two brain surgeries.
For 18 months, they traveled to specialists at Georgetown University Medical Center and the National Institutes of Health. Cindy, a beloved Calvert County teacher for 30 years, faced each setback with courage and grit.
“She was a fighter,” Chris says. “We did everything possible to maintain a good quality of life.”
It meant nurses and doctors answered his questions—day or night. It meant staff delivered medicine to their home, so he could stay by Cindy’s side instead of running to the pharmacy. It meant aides cared for her gently. It meant a doctor sat in the garden with their 6-year-old grandson, talking with him about what was happening.
“I was blessed to be a caregiver for Cindy,” Chris says. “Hospice was a godsend. It helped us through.”
Cindy received hospice care for six weeks. Chris saw what your generosity makes possible: comfort, guidance, relief, and people to help families through the hardest days of their lives.
Scan here for event details.
But after her second surgery in September 2024, things changed. Emergency room visits. One crisis after another. Doctors told them there were no more treatments to try. Hospice began the day after Thanksgiving.
Chris admits he didn’t know much about hospice. “Like many people, I didn’t even know what it meant,” he says. What he discovered was hospice was not about giving up. It was about support.
Your support lets family and friends care for loved ones in the best way—as a spouse, a child, a parent, a friend—and lets hospice team members provide essential support.
This year, Chris and his family are sponsoring the 3rd Annual Cindy Horsmon Memorial Fun Run for Hospice on Saturday, May 2 at the Horsmon Farm in St. Leonard in Calvert County. The race benefits the Patient and Family Fund, which helps families facing financial issues such as funeral expenses, utility bills, and transportation costs during illness and loss.
“If I can ease another family’s pain,” he says, “I’ll do it.”
That gratitude honors the life of a woman who touched the lives of family, friends, and countless students. And because of you, when families like the Horsmons hear words they never expected, help is right there.
Every year, the community supports a memorial fun run in honor of Cindy, pictured here with Chris.
BUILDING A STRONGER NETWORK FOR OLDER ADULTS
Hospice of the Chesapeake and Partners In Care Unite
At 86, Mophecia Brickhouse enjoys staying active in her Bowie community and attending services at Cornerstone Church.
A few years ago, transportation became a challenge. That’s when she connected with the RIDE Partners program through Partners In Care Maryland, Inc. (PIC). “As my health changed, I needed support,” she says. “Partners In Care is wonderful. The patience and kindness they show when arranging a ride means so much.”
For Mophecia, the program provides more than transportation. “Getting out is important for my emotional health and companionship,” she says. “Isolation can be harmful. I’ve seen that from my years as a nurse.”
Stories like Mophecia’s show why community support for older adults matters. By 2030, one in four Marylanders will be age 65 or older. Meeting the needs of this population—from maintaining independence to navigating serious illness—requires stronger healthcare and community connections.
That’s why Hospice of the Chesapeake welcomes Partners In Care as the first organization in its family of services under a new umbrella support organization: Chesapeake Health Partners.
This collaboration strengthens the network of support available to older adults in our region. From healthy aging to serious illness, to end-of-life care, Chesapeake Health Partners serves people at every stage of life.
“The approach is about strengthening what we do best—caring for our community. Both organizations are grounded in compassion, dignity, and community,” says Becky Miller, President and CEO of Hospice of the Chesapeake. “The collaboration honors the values of both organizations, while embracing new possibilities.”
PIC, a volunteer-based nonprofit, has worked with older adults since its 1993 founding. Its thoughtful service-exchange model allows members to help one another with transportation, home repair, assistance in two thrift shops, and social connection.
Last year, the Mobility Bus fleet made 135 trips each week.
“Together, we can build a stronger safety net for older adults — one that keeps people in their homes and connected to their neighbors,” says Brian Hahn, Chair of the Partners In Care Board of Directors.
Under Chesapeake Health Partners, both organizations will expand their reach and impact. “You’ll see the same faces, the same commitment, and the same heart in both organizations—just with a stronger foundation and more opportunities for collaboration,” says Miller.
For longtime community leader Russ Jones, who served on the boards of both organizations, the collaboration is meaningful.
“Together, we bring support services for older adults, especially those who live alone, and we connect to palliative and hospice care, if needed,” he says. “It’s a powerful model for helping people age with dignity.”
Far more confident about visiting the doctor and attending church, Mophecia could not agree more about services she receives. She adds: “I feel blessed. I feel safe. I feel cared for.”
Thanks to you, we can care for more people in more ways than ever before.
Scan here to help.
KNOWING WHEN IT’S
When something changes in a loved one’s health, you may wonder: Is it time to call for help? That call can lead to answers.
Many families contact Hospice of the Chesapeake simply to talk through what they’re seeing and understand their options. You don’t have to wait for a crisis — or the final days of life. In fact, many families tell us they wish they called sooner.
Hospice focuses on comfort, symptom management, and what matters most to the patient and family. Care teams provide medical support, caregiver guidance, and emotional support for everyone involved.
If you’re unsure, begin a conversation. You don’t have to figure it out alone.
877-462-1101
HONOR YOUR LOVED ONE
Often, families and friends ask how they can say thank you. Whether you want to honor a cherished loved one or recognize a caregiver, the Grateful Family Program offers a meaningful way to do both.
Your Grateful Family Gift is a kindness for another patient and family in need. Your generosity means no one is turned away because of financial concerns. You make possible grief support, healing arts activities, and special programs for veterans and children.
Here are ways to honor and remember:
• Tribute or Memorial Gift
• Brick or Paver
• Naming Opportunities
• Fundraiser
• A Gift in Your Will
hospicechesapeake.org/giving/ways-to-give
443-837-3385
John & Cathy Belcher Campus
90 Ritchie Highway • Pasadena, MD 21122
410-987-2003
hospicechesapeake.org/giving/donate-now
