Earlier this month, Winter Storm Landon swept through Dayton, leaving six inches of snow and ice in the area. As road conditions worsened, local officials warned drivers to stay off the roads, if possible.  

Our staff members who were already caring for patients in the Hospice House at the time of the storm stayed overnight to continue caring for our patients. This decision to stay also helped our night staff who may not be able to drive in such dangerous conditions. Through the generosity of our nursing staff that stayed through the storm, we were able to continue providing superior care and superior services to our patients, despite the outside conditions. 

When Don Fodor, a board member for the Ohio’s Hospice Foundation, heard about the kindness shown by the nursing staff to both patients and fellow staff members, he wanted to express his appreciation. “When I saw the generosity of our nurses in action, I wanted to extend a bit of gratitude for their dedication to patient care,” he said.  

Don shared the story of the nurses on his personal social media pages and started a GoFundMe to buy lunch for the nurses at Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton and Ohio’s Hospice of Butler & Warren Counties as a way of saying “thanks.” Don’s post not only gained the attention of social media friends who donated to help buy lunch for our nurses, it also reconnected him with chef Catherine Pleva.   

Catherine owns Limelight Fresh, a meal delivery program based on a whole-food, plant-rich diet that includes fresh nutrient-dense ingredients. Fodor and Pleva are former classmates. When she saw his social media post, Pleva reached out to assist in thanking our nurses.   

“We offered the boxed lunches at-cost to help say thank you to the nurses,” she said. “My uncle was a patient at Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton in 2018. We were here almost every day for two weeks, and my family appreciated the care he received. When I saw Don’s post, I knew I had to jump in and help.” 

The nursing staff was very thankful for the kind gesture. Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton is grateful for Don, Catherine, and our clinical staff for their kindness and generosity.