When Teresa Myers couldn’t look after her dad’s health at home in Bismarck, North Dakota, she and her family relied on nurse Lisa Goetz and the team at Sanford Home Care and Hospice.
“It was actually a real relief just being able to take that step back and know that he was going to be cared for,” Myers said. “I requested Lisa because I just trust her.”
Myers’ dad Delvin Westby was an Army veteran. Delvin went into hospice care in 2024 just a few months after losing his wife Rose to cancer.
“My dad spoke of his ‘queen’ a lot. So, this is their wedding pictures and just them,” Myers said, pointing to photos on her dining room table.
The two were married 64 years. Goetz also provided comfort to Rose, who was 82, in her final moments.
“My dad was essentially diagnosed with broken heart compartmental syndrome,” Myers said. “That’s ultimately what he died of. Basically, he just kind of gave up.”
While she admits she’s a fan of Sanford, Myers is grateful for the impact her dad’s care team had on the entire family’s quality of life.
“I think that Lisa knows how much we appreciate her,” Myers said.
Goetz added, “If I needed (home care and hospice), I would hope that somebody would do it. That’s what keeps me going is that it is a service that is needed.”
Honoring veterans in pinning ceremony
Before Delvin died in early 2025, Sanford Home Care and Hospice worked with We Honor Veterans, a national program, to quickly organize a pinning ceremony.
“A lot of our veterans back in that time of Vietnam and Korea, they came back and they were not treated the best. They did not get the recognition that they deserve. I think that that’s an important piece. Just say, hey we get it. We see you,” Goetz said.
From volunteers to friends and family, Myers proudly said, “We had quite a group, and you could tell, my dad was just in his element. He just loved it.
“It was really special. Very special. That means a lot to an 88-year-old guy who knows that he’s on hospice. Who is fully aware of what’s going on.”
Sanford Health strives to be a provider of choice for veterans and military members. As head of military and veteran affairs, Paul Weckman says he’s proud of Sanford teams who honor patients’ service to country.
“Many of them did their job and they never got recognized,” Weckman said. “A lot of them hold in those memories that could have happened 50-plus years ago and a lot of them weren’t shared with their families.”
Goetz said, “Seeing families come together and supporting each other is really the only reason we can continue on with this work because it restores your faith in humanity.”
Myers added, “There are a lot of veterans who went through a lot for our freedom. We wouldn’t have that freedom had it not been for them.”
Care that brings closure
It’s a final salute and celebration for those who gave so much. It’s also part of Sanford’s care that helps bring closure.
“I view them as their wedding pictures. I view them as young people. No aches, no pains. My dad’s not on oxygen. My mom isn’t full of cancer. We’re good. That’s taken a long time,” Myers said through tears.
“I always felt like my dad was surrounded by people who truly cared.”
Learn more
- Pinning ceremony honors veterans in hospice
- Fellow veterans, volunteers gift shawls to hospitalized vets
- Sanford Health hosts Navy leaders at Virtual Care Center
…
Posted In Bismarck, Hospice, Veterans
