Donna Bishop began working at Eaton
Community Hospice in March, 2004 with a desire to offer
assistance to the terminally ill "To give them empathy,
dignity and respect they deserve at the end of life’s
journey."
Donna lives in Olivet with her husband John and has a son and a
daughter. Working for Eaton Community Hospice is, for me, like
having a second family support system. When you have a personal
crisis everyone rallies around you with their support and love.
It’s really nice to have especially now that my parents are
gone and I have few family members left."
Donna enjoys watching football and baseball - especially the
Detroit Tigers. Recalling a special memory, Donna remembers a
patient with a shared fondness for the Tigers. "We were
talking and discovered he was a Tiger’s fan. We developed a
special rapport as we watched baseball and football games,
discussing the plays."
Working in an environment which to many can seem sad and
depressing, working with the terminally ill has impacted Donna
in a positive way. She observes the different family dynamics of
how different families face illness and death of their loved
ones. This has given her a healthier view of the life process
and a better understanding of her personal experiences in regard
to her parent’s deaths.
She admits sometimes her biggest challenge is overcoming
personality conflicts while remaining professional. "You
can’t just walk away from a resident or family member who
needs care. You get in there and keep giving what is needed.
Giving her impression of the Hospice program, Donna said,
"I think we have a great program. The community support we
receive allows us to continue caring for a population that
desperately needs it"
In addition to Tigers baseball, Donna enjoys watching the
Cubs and Yankees. She is also a 16-year member of the Battle
Creek Kennel Club and has 2 Labrador Retrievers, a Golden
Retriever and a German Shorthair Pointer.
