Hospice of the Panhandle Community Blood Drive: Thursday, August 20, 2026
The American Red Cross has declared its second national blood shortage in history. A single blood donation can make a lifesaving difference for patients.
Join Hospice of the Panhandle and the American Red Cross for our upcoming Community Blood Drive on Thursday, August 20, from 10:00am to 3:00pm at the Hospice of the Panhandle Education Center in Kearneysville.
If you are 17 or older, in good general health, and have a valid photo ID, we encourage you to make an appointment and give the gift of life. Every donation makes a difference!
📍Hospice of the Panhandle Education Center (330 Hospice Lane, Kearneysville, WV 25430)
Register today by clicking this link. If the website doesn’t work, please call Candi Rice at 304.264.0406, ext. 1116.
Hospice of the Panhandle Celebrates Dillan Gray, Community and Provider Liaison, for Graduating Leadership Jefferson County Class
On July 7th, we had the honor of celebrating our very own Community and Provider Liaison, Dillan Gray, at his graduation from the Leadership Jefferson Program!
Dillan, who has been working at Hospice of the Panhandle for a little over a year, has brought a passion for serving others, an authentic heart, and enthusiasm for life wherever he goes. Not only did he receive his award for completion, but he also received recognition as “Most Likely to Change the World.”
Hospice of the Panhandle is incredibly proud of Dillan and all of the hard work he continues to do to ensure our community and providers are informed about hospice and palliative care in the area!
Hospice of the Panhandle Hosts Berkeley Senior Services for Education Series
We were honored to welcome Berkeley Senior Services to our campus on July 10th!
Guests enjoyed an informative presentation on hospice and palliative care led by our Community and Provider Liaison, Caitlin Henry. The presentation offered an opportunity to learn more about the support hospice and palliative care can provide to patients and families in our community.
Following the presentation, guests toured our Inpatient Facility to get a closer look at the compassionate care, services, and resources we provide.
We are grateful for opportunities like these to connect with fellow community organizations, share knowledge, and strengthen the partnerships that help us better serve our community.
Thank you to Berkeley Senior Services for visiting us and for all that you do!
Hospice of the Panhandle’s Digital Marketing Coordinator, Samantha Fridley, Advocates on Capitol Hill
On July 16th, our Marketing and Digital Engagement Coordinator, Samantha Fridley, had the incredible opportunity to represent the state of West Virginia at the Active Minds Hill Day and Mental Health Conference in Washington D.C.!
As the only attendee from West Virginia and a team leader for a group of young adults from Indiana, Samantha joined more than 200 advocates from across the country on Capitol Hill to meet with congressional offices and advocate for the Campus Lifeline Act, legislation that would help make the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline more visible to young adults by adding it to newly issued student IDs.
At Hospice of the Panhandle, we believe that supporting mental health awareness and advocating for greater resources helps build stronger, healthier communities. We are so proud of Samantha for using her voice to help advance this important conversation and representing the state of West Virginia!
Volunteer Services Launches New Inpatient Facility Companion Volunteer Program
Our work is made possible by the compassion and dedication of our volunteers, and this new program is a wonderful reflection of that commitment.
Hospice of the Panhandle’s Volunteer Services launched our new Companion Volunteer (CV) Program on Monday, July 20th! Through this program, CV’s will provide meaningful support within our Inpatient Facility by providing companionship and engagement to our patients and their families, as well as better support our IPF staff who work hard every day to care for our patients.
Over 45 participants received training about the role and responsibilities of a Companion Volunteer and enjoyed an in-depth tour of our facility led by Kristie Carbaugh, Director of IPF Operations, and Ashley Rogers, Transport Specialist.
We can’t wait to see the positive impact this program will have on the patients and families we continue to serve!
CEO Nikki Franklin Talks About National Hospice Fraud and The Importance of Community on WRNR
Nikki Franklin, CEO of Hospice of the Panhandle, had the opportunity to speak with the crew at WRNR to discuss the state of hospice care in West Virginia and the national challenge of fraud in hospice care!
She shared that West Virginia is tied for #1 in the nation for hospice care quality and how important our community is in ensuring that our patients receive the best care possible, wherever they call home.
Want to watch the full conversation? Click here to listen.
Staff Make Wishes Come True for Patients
On July 30th, Hospice of the Panhandle was lucky enough to help make two wishes come true for our patients.
Thomas Warde, a former fighter pilot, received recognition by one of our veteran volunteers, John Sherwood, through our We Honor Veterans program.
Originally from the Beckley area, Warden shared memories of a life filled with determination, service, and adventure. As a young adult, he relocated to pursue new opportunities and attended Greenbrier Military School in Lewisburg, Beckley College, and West Virginia University—he was then accepted into a cadet program and fulfilled his dream of becoming a fighter pilot.
Not only did he receive recognition, but he also got a special visit from two Air Force service members. He was given a challenge coin, a token that symbolizes service and achievement.
But we didn’t stop at just one patient. We also had the special privilege of bringing Larry M. Myers, a former jockey, to the Charles Town Races at the Hollywood Casino at Charles Town. Larry shared his knowledge about horse racing and shared stories of his time. Our transport team, Victoria Hough and Ashley Rogers, coordinated the transport with his wife and care team.
Moments like these are the reason why we do what we do. Being able to fulfill requests and wishes for our patients is the heart of Hospice of the Panhandle. Thank you to everyone who coordinated and planned these special trips with us!