By: Allison Apple, Donor Specialist, Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care
Every day, Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care provides expert, compassionate care to patients of every age, from fragile newborns to individuals more than 100 years old. No one who turns to us is ever denied care because of income or lack of insurance. This commitment is only possible because of generous donor support.
For some, the word hospice carries fear or finality. In reality, hospice is about quality of life. It’s about comfort, dignity, and meaningful moments, even in the hardest seasons of life. For more than 45 years, Kansas City Hospice has walked alongside families across our community, offering steady guidance, relief from worry, and peace of mind when it is needed most.
A Family’s Story: Jeremiah
Seven-year-old Jeremiah had just returned home from the hospital on hospice care. His parents rarely left his side. Medical concerns were overwhelming, and the pressures of daily life — bills, groceries, basic needs — quickly added to the strain.
With support from Kansas City Hospice, Jeremiah’s family remained together at home. Financial stress eased, essential needs were met, and his parents could focus on what mattered most: time with their son. Those days, among the most important they would ever share, were spent surrounded by love and comfort, not anxiety.
Because of donors, this family experienced the strength of a caring community that refused to let them face their journey alone.
Care That Goes Beyond Medicine
Families throughout Kansas City rely on Kansas City Hospice for more than medical care. From children in our Carousel Pediatric Care hospice program to older adults who wish to remain at home, our teams provide comprehensive support tailored to each person’s needs.
That care often includes meeting essential, non-medical needs such as food, rent, utilities, transportation, or safe housing. When these basic concerns are addressed, families are free to focus on connection, presence, and comfort.
Karen Reed, a pediatric nurse with our Carousel program, sees this impact every day:
“When a little girl with cancer came to Kansas City Hospice, her family had nowhere else to turn. Insurance wouldn’t cover what she needed, so Kansas City Hospice did. We’ve paid for hospital cribs, specialized car seats, even groceries or rent when parents couldn’t leave the bedside. We do whatever it takes so families can focus on time together.”
This is care without compromise — and compassion without limits.
Why Donor Support Matters
In 2025, Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care saw a 25% increase in unreimbursed care and assistance for patients without insurance, Medicare, or another funding source.
Your generosity helps ensure:
- Patients receive care wherever they call home.
- Families have access to grief support and counseling.
- Children, veterans, and older adults receive specialized, compassionate care.
- Essential needs like food, housing, warmth, and safety are met.
- No one is turned away due to financial hardship.
We believe every person deserves expert care, dignity, and peace of mind from life through death, and every family deserves support through grief.
Together, we can continue Caring for Kansas City — one family, one moment, one gift of love at a time. Click here to learn how to help more families.
Posted in Compassionate Care, Kansas City Hospice, Stories of Support