End of Life Care Gift Fund

At The University of Tennessee Medical Center, we believe that everyday matters, especially when a loved one’s journey is coming to an end. The End of Life Care Gift Fund, established in 2020 with a generous contribution from the University of Tennessee Medical Center Auxiliary, embodies this belief. The gift fund offers vital resources and support to families and patients facing difficult end of life decisions, ensuring they receive the care, dignity, and compassion they deserve in their final days.

In 2023, the gift fund helped six patients return home to spend their last days in a place of comfort instead of a hospital room, using ambulance transportation for those whose conditions made travel by car impossible and who had insufficient insurance coverage. It also provided essential support for 15 more families, covering costs at hospice facilities when they could not afford to transition their loved ones to comfort care. During a family’s most fragile time, this fund eases overwhelming financial strain.

One particularly touching story involves a widowed gentleman who recently suffered a severe stroke. Unable to verbally communicate, he relied on his daughter to make the difficult decision to transition him to comfort care. With a special needs grandson, who struggled to visit his grandfather in the hospital, and limited resources as a single working mom, she faced impossible choices. Thanks to The End of Life Care Gift Fund, the patient’s hospice costs were fully covered. His daughter and grandson were able to visit him each evening, cherishing every second until he peacefully passed away.

Stories like these remind us of the power of community and the importance of helping others. The End of Life Care Gift Fund gives families the opportunity to be present, to offer love and support when it is needed most, and to create meaningful memories that bring comfort long after a loved one is gone. A generous gift can make an incredible difference for families who, in their most vulnerable moments, simply need a helping hand. Your support will give the precious gift of time—time to hold a loved one's hand, share a final memory, and say goodbye without the burden of worry. To make a gift, please click HERE.