A Healing Story

“I hope that everyone who is struggling with the loss of a loved one will reach out for the help available at Hospice of Palm Beach County...”

– Valencia Campbell

When Valencia Campbell was twenty years old, she and her husband, Cornel, had a beautiful baby boy named Jonathan. Life was full and happy for the young couple as they were working, going to college and raising their son. When he was just six months old, Valencia discovered that she was pregnant again, this time with a little girl.

Jonathan and Kayla

There was something very special about Kayla. No one in the Campbells’ large, extended family or circle of friends had known a baby quite like her. She seemed intently aware of people, paying close attention to them and engaging them. “She was like a little princess who attracted everyone around her, and they responded to her with so much love,” said Valencia.

Yet, life was about to take a tragic turn for the Campbells. When she was just three months old, Kayla died very suddenly from a traumatic medical event. As one might expect, her death was a devastating shock to the family and very difficult for them to accept. Bereft members of the family reacted differently – some withdrew, others cried continuously, and still others functioned in a haze of grief.

In the midst of gathering her bearings, Valencia had decisions to make. Her semester at Palm Beach State College was about to begin. Now one month after her daughter’s death, Valencia had become extremely anxious and depressed, rarely leaving the house. She made the decision to continue with her education as planned, hoping that focusing on something outside of her pain would help break the downward spiral of depression and anxiety she was experiencing.

At school, she attended a class on grief, hoping that it would offer some relief. Someone attending that class recommended that she contact Hospice of Palm Beach County for professional bereavement counseling. She called that day, and it was a call that would change her life.

“If it were not for Hospice of Palm Beach County’s bereavement program, I don’t know if I’d be here today,” confided Valencia. “I felt like I was drowning in the sadness. I just couldn’t accept that my baby wasn’t coming back.” Working with a bereavement counselor, Valencia learned to cope with her stress and depression. She gradually learned to accept Kayla’s death and found ways to deal with it. She also came to understand that everyone deals with grief differently, which helped her family’s healing process.

“Now I know that Kayla is part of me - and that comfort will never go away. Feelings of loss come and go, but I have healthy ways of coping with them,” Valencia continued. “I hope that everyone who is struggling with the loss of a loved one will reach out for the help available at Hospice of Palm Beach County. It can make such a difference if you allow them to help you. I am not unique. If I can do it, anyone can.”

Valencia, Jonathan, and Cornel

Today, Valencia feels like a blessed person. In appreciation of the support of Hospice of Palm Beach County, her professors, family and friends, she set the goal of becoming a social worker to help others. Now, two years after Kayla’s death, she will complete her bachelor’s degree at FAU in 2012 and immediately pursue a Master’s in Social Work. She plans to get her doctorate. “I could never repay everyone who has helped me. Their efforts have shaped my determination and success today. No matter what, I promised myself I would never give up,” added Valencia.

Cultures Honored at Hospice of Palm Beach County

Hospice of Palm Beach County’s Multicultural Outreach Committee, chaired by Supportive Care Director, Regina Di Pietro, set out this past year to better educate our staff – from clinical to administrative personnel – on the distinctions and cultural traditions of our diverse community. The committee is comprised of representatives from different departments who are committed to learning about various cultures and then disseminating this information throughout the organization for all to benefit.

"We want to offer staff educational tools and opportunities that prepare them to respond to our patients and families in the most respectful and compassionate manner possible," said Di Pietro. "To be accepted by the patient and family that you are caring for, you must have an understanding of their cultural and religious principles,” she added.

As an integral part of this program, our education department produced a comprehensive multicultural manual and self-study in-services, and made them available to all staff. In addition, they trained medical and clinical teams, as well as administrative staff, to use our Interpreter Language Line, which functions as a translation vehicle. “We went so far as to make personal contact with each employee to explain the method for using a trained interpreter via the language line. The use of this line has increased three-fold since we implemented the training this year,” said Vicki Jones, Director of Education.

“Our goal is to learn about as many cultures as possible and to create resources so our staff can interact with patients and families on all levels – from a medical level to a cultural level to comforting– and to serve them without judgment,” said Di Pietro. “This educational program can do that.”

For more information please contact Jennifer Martinez at jmartinez@hpbc.com or (561) 273-2194.