AUTUMN ON THE ISLAND ● IT’S ABOUT LIVING
October is a month for remembering. It’s also a reminder of how much living happens along the way: in a quiet evening by the water, in a day of play for grieving kids, and in the care our team gives every day.
OCTOBER 3 ● JOSEPH A. SYLVIA STATE BEACH
Remembering Together
On Saturday evening, a small group of Islanders met us on State Beach as the sun went down. We painted stones with names, hearts and messages for the people we love and stood together at the water’s edge. Rabbi Lori Shaller led a short ceremony, and then we released the stones into the ocean together.
It was a quiet, gentle evening, the kind where there’s room for everyone to say a name out loud. This was our first remembrance gathering open to the whole Island in some time, and we’re grateful to every person who came. You don’t have to have been a hospice family to grieve, and you don’t have to grieve alone.
IN THE NEWS ● THE MARTHA’S VINEYARD TIMES
It’s About Living
The MV Times sat down with Executive Director Chantale Patterson for a look at who we are and how we got here, from a community meeting of Islanders 45 years ago to the Island team caring for families today. The piece covers hospice, palliative care, our grief support open to every Islander, and why so many people wait too long to call.
“Hospice isn’t about dying. It’s about living.”
Chantale Patterson, RN, BSN, OCN, CHPN, Executive Director
OCTOBER 10 ● WORLD HOSPICE & PALLIATIVE CARE DAY
Caring for the Whole Person
This Saturday, hospices around the world mark World Hospice & Palliative Care Day. This year’s theme is pain management, and it means more than the physical kind. Pain can be emotional, social and spiritual too, and good palliative care tends to all of it.
That’s exactly how our Island team works: nurses, physicians, social workers, aides and spiritual care counselors, side by side, caring for the whole person.
You don’t have to wait for a crisis to reach out. If you or someone you love is living with a serious illness, call us at (508) 693-0189 to learn what support is available now.
CARING CONVERSATIONS
Spiritual Care in Hospice
Spiritual care isn’t only about religion. It’s about what gives our lives meaning—and having someone there to listen when serious illness brings important questions to the surface.
Our Spiritual Care Counselors meet patients and families wherever they are. They may offer a listening ear, help someone write a legacy letter or obituary, plan a memorial or celebration of life, or simply create space to talk about what matters most.
In our latest Caring Conversations, Rabbi Lori Shaller, one of our Spiritual Care Counselors, helps us understand what spiritual care can look like and why it’s an important part of caring for the whole person.
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Congratulations, JessAnna!
JessAnna Watts, RN, CHPN
Please join us in congratulating JessAnna Watts, RN, who recently earned her Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN) credential. The CHPN is a national certification that recognizes nurses with specialized knowledge and experience in hospice and palliative care. It takes study, real dedication, and a passing score on a demanding exam.
For our patients and families, it means one more expert on the Island team caring for them. We’re so proud of you, JessAnna!
SEPTEMBER 27 ● SLOUGH FARM
A Day to Remember, Connect & Play
Not even a nor’easter could keep us away. Sixteen children and their families braved the wind and rain to join us at Slough Farm for Camp by the Sea, our one-day family grief camp for kids in grades K to 8 who have lost someone close to them.
The weather had other plans, but the day was still filled with art, time with the animals and plenty of warmth. Most of all, it gave kids a chance to be with other kids who understand.
Thank you to Slough Farm Foundation and Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation for funding this year’s camp, and to the Couch Foundation, which has committed to fund Camp by the Sea next year. Thank you to the incredible volunteers for sharing their time with us.
LOOKING AHEAD ● DECEMBER 12
Handmade from the Heart
Calling all Island makers, artists and artisans. Do you knit, quilt, sew, paint or craft? We’re collecting gift-worthy handmade creations for our holiday event at the Daniel Fisher House during Christmas in Edgartown.
Donate handmade items by December 8.
Donate baked goods and treats by December 11.
Donations may be dropped off Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–5:00 PM at our office:
Hospice & Palliative Care of Martha’s Vineyard
455 State Rd. PMB 244
Vineyard Haven, MA 02568
WHAT ITEMS ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
OCTOBER 19 TO 25 ● ESTATE PLANNING AWARENESS WEEK
Our team sees every day how much peace a plan can bring to a family, and how hard it is when there isn’t one. If you’ve been meaning to update your will or name your wishes, this is a good week to start.
If hospice care on the Vineyard matters to you, you can make it part of your legacy. A gift in your will, a beneficiary designation on a retirement account or life insurance policy, or a gift of stock can help ensure Islanders are cared for long after us.
Already included us in your plans? Please let us know so we can thank you. Thinking about it? Contact HPCMV Development Department for a confidential conversation.
Everything we do is made possible by this community. Thank you.
Watch your mailbox for our 2026 Annual Appeal.