It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Mary Vitale embodies the spirit of compassion and philanthropy. She grew up in Bowling Green, helped build a successful residential and commercial real estate business and raised her son there. Now, she now focuses most of her time on causes she cares about, and Hosparus Health Barren River is fortunate enough to be one of them.
“I volunteer my time and resources because I feel it is important to give back to the community that I love and has provided my family the place we call home,” Mary says. “I truly believe the expression, ‘For those that have been given much, much is expected.’ I have been blessed throughout my life, and I know not everyone has. So, if I can help others, then I do.”
Committed to Her Community
The list of organization that benefit from Mary’s kindness is a long one: South Central Kentucky Chapter of the American Red Cross, Boys and Girls Club of Bowling Green, Kentucky Kids on the Block and Orchestra Kentucky, to name a few. She is also a Chamber Ambassador for the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce, Commissioner for the City County Planning and Zoning Commission, and a member of the Women’s Fund of South Central Kentucky and Bowling Green Business Women.
Her primary passions are organizations that focus on women and children, especially kids with special needs. In fact, her family helped start the Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex at Western Kentucky University, which includes the Kelly Autism Program, the Communication Disorders Clinic and the Renshaw Early Childhood Center.
The support for seriously ill children and their families that Hosparus Health’s Kourageous Kids program offers is one of the main reasons she was eager to join the HBR board in 2016. “I feel Hosparus is an important organization in that it provides both comfort and compassion to the patient as well as the family when they are at their most vulnerable,” Mary says.
Ensuring Access to Care
One of the things that has impressed Mary most about Hosparus Health is the compassion of our care teams. “They are very committed to the organization,” she says. “They work hard, and they really care about their patients.”
She’s heard from staff and families that it means the world to just have “someone there to give the family a break, and know their loved one is in good hands,” she adds. “They can sit with their loved one while they run an errand or take a shower.”
Hosparus Health also does a great job supporting families after their loved one dies, Mary says. “Hosparus programs not only help the patient with their wishes at the end of life, their grief counseling services also help the family cope with the loss of their loved one.”
She believes so strongly in our care that she wouldn’t hesitate to call us when and if one of her own family members needs our help. And she wants everyone in the Bowling Green community to have access to our supportive care, regardless of their ability to pay.
“I encourage people to support Hosparus because of the quality of compassionate care that can be provided to the patient and their family to ensure comfort and dignity at the end of life. “
Thank you, Mary, for your passion and dedication to Hosparus Health! If you’d like to join her in making sure our expert hospice and palliative care is available to anyone who needs it, click here to make a gift today.
