Tenacious. That’s how Kristin Leese Linkfield describes her father, John Leese, who passed away at 92 years old from complications of Parkinson’s disease in April 2024. Diagnosed at age 74, his courageous fight lasted 18 years.

“When he was diagnosed, that tenacity that was engrained in him came out immediately,” Linkfield remembers. “He wanted to do everything he could to fight it, keep on top of it, even though he knew it was likely a losing battle unless a cure was found in his lifetime.”

Linkfield remembers her father as “a wonderful man who did a lot of wonderful things for people, never looking for praise, but because it was the right thing to do.”

She says he was always seeking perfection and excellence in everything he did. He was adamant he didn’t want to burden his loved ones in any way and, as an accomplished engineer, there was nothing he couldn’t fabricate, build, create or design to solve a problem.

“He was trying to organize and work things out for my mom even in his last days,” Linkfield remembers. “In his eyes, everything had to be perfect so when he left, he wasn’t leaving her with any problems to handle. During his last week alive, we assured him he’d done all he could. We told him, ‘We’ll take care of mom. You taught us well. You can go.’”

As Father’s Day nears, the second without her dad, Linkfield feels at peace knowing he passed into the presence of his Lord and Savior. She also has a sense of relief that his struggle with Parkinson’s is over.

For 10 months, he was under the care of Emmanuel Hospice, a service Linkfield describes as having brought a lot of joy and comfort. At the time, Linkfield felt entirely overwhelmed by her father’s medical needs, but said the Emmanuel care team “swept in like angels,” knowing just what to do. In reflecting on her father’s end-of-life experience, there’s nothing she would change.

“There is grief and mourning, but I also know it was time to leave his earthly body,” Linkfield says. “He lived a good long life and went out on his own terms. But I don’t know how we would have gotten through those 10 months without Emmanuel Hospice. I want people to know that hospice is there to help you make things as good they can be in the circumstances you’re in.”

An especially bright spot in the journey was Emmanuel Hospice aide, Taylor Fowkes, who Linkfield describes as a spitfire. Leese and Fowkes quickly developed a special bond.

“Some would describe my dad as having a prickly exterior with a soft soul on the inside,” Linkfield says. “Not everyone got to see his soft side unless they knew how to dig for it. He often acted tough, but when Taylor walked in, she had him evenly matched. It was like she was handpicked for my dad. God had a plan in that.”

In addition to his connection with Fowkes, Leese especially benefited from massage therapy and spiritual caregivers, as well as specialized nursing care, medication management and equipment for his changing symptoms. From Linkfield’s perspective, there was nothing Emmanuel Hospice couldn’t solve.

On her father’s last day, his apartment was full. Linkfield was touched that the whole Emmanuel care team and several family members were there.

Particularly meaningful was the blessing of thanks, a ceremony that blessed his journey home and expressed gratitude for each part of his physical being – “eyes that have looked on us with love,” “ears that have been attuned to our needs,” “hands that have been a source of welcome and help,” “a heart that has given and received love” and so on – with an anointment of lavender oil.

“The blessing of the body ceremony is sacred to me,” Linkfield says. “I still hold close to my heart how beautiful that was. I will never forget it.”

If you or someone you love is on grief journey and would like support, please contact our Grief Support Team at EHbereavement@EmmanuelHospice.org or call 616.719.0919. Our services are open to anyone in the community. We offer individual counseling as well as support groups, classes and workshops. More information is available at EmmanuelHospice.org/grief-support.

How do you want to live?

It may be surprising to learn that’s the first question Emmanuel Hospice asks every new patient. Isn’t hospice about dying?

While hospice is often associated with death, Melissa Wedberg will tell you it’s more about living, especially at Emmanuel Hospice, where she serves as vice president of community relations. With more than a decade in the hospice industry, Wedberg has spent years dispelling this and many other myths.

Despite having roots in the U.S. dating back to the 70s, there remains a lot of mystery about hospice. Common questions Wedberg hears include: What is hospice and who’s eligible? How does hospice work? How is hospice paid for?

The medical definition of hospice is holistic care and support for people who have been given a physician prognosis of six months or less to live, but Wedberg encourages anyone with a serious illness to learn about hospice services sooner than later. The six-month prognosis is a guideline, not a guarantee or definitive timeline.

“Individuals can be on hospice for months or even years,” Wedberg says. “Studies show hospice care can actually increase life expectancy.”

Hospice focuses on enhancing quality of life through comfort care, symptom management and emotional and spiritual support. Some providers provide those basics and so much more, as Emmanuel does with its patient wish program and complementary services such as music and massage therapy.

Wedberg stresses that anyone can inquire about hospice and be evaluated for eligibility. You don’t need a physician referral to begin the process.

“If anyone is interested in hospice care, we can do an evaluation,” she says. “A hospice physician gives the first certification, then the primary care provider can either agree or disagree that, based on our assessment, this person has a life-limiting illness that qualifies them.”

Patients must also elect to forgo curative treatments. To be clear, this decision does not involve hastening the end of life, but rather focusing on living more comfortably.

“It is important you have goals of care that align with the goals of hospice,” Wedberg clarifies. “That is to say, you no longer want to take great measures to prolong your life, that you accept your disease process for what it is and just want to be comfortable and happy in the time you have left.”

But what does that look like? Wedberg says when Emmanuel Hospice asks, “how do you want to live,” people often talk about the little things in life that matter most.

“We hear a lot about what is important to people, such as making family memories, remaining connected to their faith community, eating their favorite meals and doing activities that bring them joy,” Wedberg says. “Our team will design a care plan around the things patients want most.

“Many people also tell us they don’t want to have the trauma and the drama of medical care anymore. They don’t want to go back and forth to emergency rooms or doctor offices getting poked and prodded rather than doing what they enjoy in the safety and comfort of their home and with their loved ones.”

Another important detail most people don’t know: You have choices.

“We are really fortunate in West Michigan to have a lot of options when it comes to end-of-life care, but not every provider offers the same services or operates in the same way,” Wedberg says, encouraging people to visit Medicare.gov to compare ratings. “You can call and interview multiple providers before you make a decision. It’s important to find one that’s a good fit for your needs.”

What about the cost? The good news is hospice care is often completely paid for Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance carriers. Most commercial plans also have some form of coverage. For individuals who are uninsured, pro bono care may be an option.

“Pro bono is not the standard in our industry,” Wedberg adds. “But as a faith-based nonprofit provider, it is Emmanuel Hospice’s position that if someone needs and wants end-of-life care, the cost should not be prohibitive. Everyone deserves a good end of life.”

For more information, call 616.719.0919 or visit EmmanuelHospice.org.