Fashionista for a Cause
Hospice of the Valley’s White Dove Thrift Shoppe has become one of my favorite fashionista places to shop!
I hold Hospice of the Valley near and dear to my heart because of how they took care of my mother while she was battling ovarian cancer. Hospice of the Valley asistió a mi mamí durante sus ultimos días de vida.
I was a reporter and weather forecaster in South Texas in 2010 when my mom called me to tell me she was going to Hospice of the Valley.
The cancer had spread, and no one knew how much time she had left. I rushed to my mother’s side as soon as I could, but by the time I got there, she was already unconscious. It was a very helpless feeling. All I could do was spend the last few moments with her, holding her hand while she took her last breath. Me sentí impotente por no poder hacer nada para ayudar a mi mamá con su batalla con cáncer.
I’ll never forget how, leading up to that moment, the Hospice nurse carefully explained to me how life comes to an end: the function of organs slowly coming to a close, the breath getting more and more shallow until the breath is no more, and finally the heart beating its last beat. She was preparing me. But nothing could prepare me for being without my mother, my best friend. No podía imaginarme la vida sin mi mamá, pero la enfermera estaba tratando de preparme para ese momento.
As I sat next to my mother holding her hand, I saw how the nurse comforted my mother with a tender touch. She did everything possible to make her feel comfortable, and she would also turn to my uncle and myself to make sure we were also comfortable while we waited for the inevitable. It’s that type of warmth that helped me stay strong for my mother in her last hours.
Eight years later, after coming back to Phoenix…
I didn’t realize Hospice of the Valley had thrift shoppes until my husband and I came across White Dove Thrift Shoppes this year while taking our dog Gizmo to his groomer right next door to the Central Phoenix location.
I had not explored thrift shops much before, but once I realized it benefited Hospice of the Valley, I knew I had to visit! ¡Cuando me enteré que la tienda de segunda mano beneficia a Hospice of the Valley, me di cuenta que tenía que visitar!
Funds from the thrift shoppes go to Hospice of the Valley for patient-care programs. According to its website, the shoppe funds help lower the cost of charity care. Something that’s crucial because, according to Hospice of the Valley, even those who do not have insurance get hospice care.
La organización de Hospice of the Valley ayuda a las personas que están cerca del final de sus vidas. Lo que me agrada tanto de esta organización es que aún si la persona no tiene seguro medico, la organización les ofrenden asistencia.
What I discovered when I went inside the shoppe, was incredible! The shoppe was spacious and neatly organized. I ended up buying jewelry, belts, a dress, a shoe rack, shelf unit, floating book shelf, and glassware to hold office supplies. All useful things that I could start using right away. I also discovered that I had no shoppers remorse because not only could I feel good about the amount of money I was spending, but I could also feel good about where the money was going. I wasn’t contributing to fast fashion. I was contributing to a cause that is greater than life. The cause: a comfortable death.
Visiting the thrift shoppe also got me thinking, “There are items I could donate to help provide funds for Hospice of the Valley.” I ended up donating my childhood furniture. For so many years I lugged it from town-to-town as I moved from TV job to TV job. It was a reminder of my parents and how hard they worked to provide things for me that would bring me happiness AND help me do homework so that I could get scholarships for college. I had a hard time letting go, but it’s time to be a fashionista for a cause.
Consider volunteering, donating or shopping at your nearest Hospice of the Valley’s White Dove Thrift Shoppe. You could help bring comfort to someone during their last days of life who may otherwise not be able to afford care.