November marks the beginning of the holiday season, but it also has another significance: It’s Alive Hospice Month in Murfreesboro.

Mayor Tommy Bragg has issued a proclamation designating November as Alive Hospice Month, recognizing the Middle Tennessee nonprofit and the comfort and support it provides. The mayor recently presented the proclamation at the home of Alive Hospice board member Lynn Lien and Dr. George Lien during a celebration of the nonprofit agency’s work in Rutherford County.

 “It’s a pleasure to present to your team this proclamation on behalf of the Murfreesboro City Council talking about hospice and reminding ourselves that your team provides care to people facing life-limiting illnesses, support to their families and services to the community in a spirit of enriching lives,” Mayor Bragg said. “We are very proud and pleased to have you in Murfreesboro and look forward to long years of service.”

Alive Hospice’s service in Rutherford County in 2012 included:

• Care and support for 324 patients  of all ages and their families
• 529 hours of service given by Alive Hospice volunteers
• Grief support services including counseling for adults and children as well as grief support groups and a Grief During the Holidays seminar
• Two camps providing support to 58 grieving children: Camp Forget-Me-Not  and the Alive Teen Retreat

“Alive Hospice wants everyone in Murfreesboro to know they can lean on us in difficult times. We’re here for patients and families affected by life-limiting illnesses, and we’re here to give support after losses,” said Alive Hospice President and CEO Anna-Gene O’Neal. “During Alive Hospice Month, we encourage everyone to learn more about hospice care, our grief support services and community education that we provide year-round. We hope they’ll get involved as volunteers and keep Alive Hospice in mind as they give in support of local charities this holiday season.”

Alive Hospice’s Murfreesboro Team, with an office on Medical Center Parkway, serves patients and their families in five counties: Rutherford, Bedford, Cannon, Coffee and DeKalb counties. With support in the form of donations and grants, Alive Hospice is able to provide care to all who need it including uninsured and underinsured Middle Tennesseans.

Alive Hospice was one of the nation’s earliest hospice programs. It was founded in 1975, just one year after the first U.S. hospice program was established in Connecticut. Today, Alive Hospice 12 Middle Tennessee counties with services including hospice care, palliative care, grief support and community education. For more information about Alive Hospice, call 615-327-1085 or visit AliveHospice.org.