Daily Inspiration: Meet Debbie Swanson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Debbie Swanson.

Hi Debbie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I first became interested in learning about hospice after my mother died unexpectedly in the hospital. Diagnosed with cancer two years earlier, her death was something my family should have been “prepared” for, at least the thought of it…but we were not prepared.

My mom was admitted to the hospital after a round of chemotherapy, and we thought it was just a “bump” in the road. I remember asking the doctor what was happening, and his reply was, “We will know in a couple of hours.” Two hours later, my beloved mom died. I was devastated. I knew there was a better way to die and a better way to prepare yourself and your family for the loss. This is at the heart of hospice care, and why it is a gift to patients and families.

Several years after my mom died, I enrolled in a hospice volunteer training program. It was there that my passion for the hospice philosophy solidified. I eventually became a bereavement coordinator, serving both patients and families on their grief journey. For the next 17 years, my passion grew stronger, believing and never wavering in the philosophy of comfort and care that is the foundation of hospice.

Today, I’m committed to helping raise awareness and funds for Our Lady of Peace Hospice & Home Health Care in St. Paul, Minnesota. Founded over 80 years ago, the mission is to offer compassionate end of life care at NO COST to patients and their loved ones. For over 80 years we have relied on the generosity and support of others, and support has been given. And I’m here to help make sure it continues, well into the future.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
While most of my time working in hospice care has been a smooth road, it would be dishonest not to recognize the struggles and sadness that comes with being near patients and their loved ones at end of life. Many times, I took the grief home with me, until I came across the words of Dr. Alan Wolfelt. After reading Companioning, I truly understood my hospice role and realized that I needed to create healthy boundaries when it came to working with families and patients. Dr. Wolfelt’s words have been incredibly impactful in my work with Our Lady of Peace:

Companioning by Dr. Alan Wolfelt.

Companioning is about being present to another person’s pain; it is not about taking away the pain.

Companioning is about going to the wilderness of the soul with another human being; it is not about thinking you are responsible for finding the way out.

Companioning is about honoring the spirit; it is not about focusing on the intellect.

Companioning is about listening with the heart; it is not about analyzing with the head.

Companioning is about bearing witness to the struggles of others; it is not about judging or directing these struggles.

Companioning is about walking alongside; it is not about leading or being led.

Companioning means discovering the gifts of sacred silence; it does not mean filling up every moment with words.

Companioning the bereaved is about being still; it is not about frantic movement forward.

Companioning is about respecting disorder and confusion; it is not about imposing order and logic.

Companioning is about learning from others; it is not about teaching them.

Companioning is about curiosity; it is not about expertise.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m one of those lucky people who has taken my passion and made it a career. My day is filled with making connections, building relationships, and fundraising. I talk with people about the mission of Our Lady of Peace and ask them to join me in supporting it. The best part of my job is learning what inspires donors to give, and because I believe deeply in our mission, it’s not difficult for me to ask people to invest in the important work that’s being done here.

Working at Our Lady of Peace has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. What could be more meaningful than being a part of something so good? What could be more fulfilling than sharing one of the most intimate and important times in someone’s life? Walking alongside patients and families at end of life is an honor and a blessing.

Any big plans?
I’m looking forward to continuing to play a role in carrying on the mission of Our Lady of Peace Hospice and Home Health Care. It’s imperative that I stay focused on raising money, so we can provide hospice care at no cost beyond what is covered by Medicare. This commitment began in 1941 when a small group of Dominican nuns opened our doors, and it is in their spirit of giving that I stay focused on what is needed to ensure that end of life care with dignity and empathy continues. Their mission has become my mission, along with our development team and all of our staff.

We have big changes coming because of our recent Capital Campaign that raised money to build private rooms. 80 years ago, we cared for patients in open wards. They were replaced by double rooms and now, the private suites will provide sacred spaces for families to gather in their loved one’s final days. It has been a labor of love, and I’m looking forward to seeing families together in those beautiful rooms, knowing that I helped make it possible.

Contact Info:

• Website: ourladyofpeacemn.org
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/ourladyofpeace?utm_medium=copy_link
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olphospicecare
• Twitter: @HospiceOlp

Image Credits
Our Lady of Peace Hospice & Home Health Care