host posted on June 12, 2006 03:39
Father’s Day can be bittersweet for those of us who no longer have our fathers, or who live too far away to see them. But when Bob Keeling, who lost his dad years ago, decided to volunteer for Hospice & Palliative Care of Cape Cod, he formed a lasting bond that helped fill the void of his father’s loss.
It only takes a few moments in the company of Bob and Domenic Gattozzi, the 93-year-old hospice patient with whom he works, to feel the warmth of connection between them. They share jokes, banter and give each other bear hugs. Bob has been coming to Domenic’s Mashpee home once a week ever since Domenic was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Domenic and his wife Olive have come to think of Bob as a son, as their own children are not here in the immediate area.
Domenic looks forward to Bob coming so they can go on their outings to the beach, restaurants or golf courses and enjoy talking about their common love for good food, Italy and family memories. “Seeing Bob is like a breath of fresh air”, Domenic says, smiling. Though he has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure, he seems relaxed and serene, enjoying company and showing off his spiffy, new, wheeled walker.
Olive chimes in. “I don’t know what I’d do without Bob and hospice. The care required can be overwhelming. With hospice, I have the support network I need. When Bob comes, he gives me the break I need to go shopping or just sit down and read a book. Every week it gives Domenic something to look forward to – Bob is such a soft comforting presence in his life.”
Bob Keeling is not your typical volunteer. A Falmouth resident and cusp-baby boomer, he works full time as a financial advisor and is active on non-profit boards. Free time is not his luxury. But he gets so much satisfaction from volunteering for Hospice & Palliative Care of Cape Cod that he wouldn’t have it any other way.
He first thought of becoming a volunteer after his brother-in-law died in the World Trade Center on Sept. 11th. He spent a lot of time helping his wife’s sister, and found it gratifying to be useful at such a critical time. He says, “I guess I like the “fix” of satisfaction of helping people in need. I want to give back to the community that has been so good to me.”
In the three years since he took the initial 25 hour training required of all H &PCCC volunteers, Bob has had six families he’s worked with in their own homes, as well as forty or so patients in the Mary McCarthy Hospice House, the only residence of its kind in Barnstable County. “People often ask me if it’s depressing work, but I find it incredibly rewarding. Just by being there - you’d be surprised how much it means to them. And it’s flexible enough to not be a burden on my own family. It’s rounded out for me what I think I should be doing in life.”
Over 200 volunteers give their time to Hospice & Palliative Care of Cape Cod in a variety of capacities. Most, like Bob, are companions to patients, as part of the interdisciplinary team that is central to the hospice care model. Others help with administrative tasks, special fund raising events or in the Hospice Thrift Shop on Rt. 6A in Barnstable.
The rewards of making a difference to the lives of people dealing with serious illness is apparent as Bob bids good-bye to his charge. Olive gives him a warm thanks. Then Domenic proudly pushes his walker to escort Bob to the door where they hug and say, “Bye, I love you!”
No father and son could ask for better.