From palliative care advocate to philanthropic partner: Jackie Wendland’s palliative care passion
When Jackie Wendland’s husband Mark returned home one evening from his job as a chaplain at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula in the early 2000s, he told her about a new service the hospital was starting: palliative care.
Since learning about the service nearly two decades ago, Wendland has become a force for palliative care advocacy. “I’m quick to share about palliative care with someone if it seems like it might benefit them,” Wendland says.
That is exactly what she did for one friend, Sarah, who suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic joint pain, and behavioral and mental health challenges. Wendland recalled how COPD forced Sarah, who was homeless, to carry an oxygen tank everywhere she went. Sarah received shelter and meal support from local nonprofits I-HELP and Gathering for Women, but Wendland recognized that Sarah needed additional healthcare support and knew that palliative care could be that help.
Patients deserve to receive care in a setting that fits their unique needs, wants, or requirements. Palliative patients now have increased access to more appropriate care settings thanks to the remarkable partnerships and generosity of Jackie Wendland...
— Dr. John Hausdorff, Community Hospital’s Supportive and Palliative Care Medical Director
“I thought palliative medicine might make her life more comfortable,” Wendland says. “I joined her first few appointments, and the first thing they did was introduce her to new pain management techniques that immediately made her feel so much better.”
Palliative medicine brought comfort and security to Sarah’s life. “It truly increased her quality of life and was also a place where she could check in every so often,” Wendland says.
A few years later, one of Wendland’s dearest friends, Mary, began losing her balance and falling frequently. Having been diagnosed with a rare neurodegenerative disorder, Mary eventually required a wheelchair and 24-hour care. Wendland suggested palliative care to Mary and her husband, who was there by Mary’s side through everything and equally grateful for the relief palliative care brought.
“It was a relief for Mary and her husband, and for Sarah, to have a team of professionals caring for them,” Wendland says. “They were vulnerable, and that care brought them comfort, both physically and emotionally. When it came time for hospice for both Sarah and Mary, Community Hospital’s palliative care team helped them transition to that next level of care.”
After witnessing palliative medicine increase the quality of life for two of her closest friends, Wendland was inspired to make these outcomes possible for more Monterey County residents. Through Montage Health Foundation, she made a significant multi-year pledge to support the growth of this important service. This generous gift, accompanied by a major donation from the Hicks-Snorf family, enabled Community Hospital’s Supportive and Palliative Care services to undergo significant expansion.
“Patients deserve to receive care in a setting that fits their unique needs, wants, or requirements,” says Dr. John Hausdorff, Community Hospital’s Supportive and Palliative Care Medical Director. “Palliative patients now have increased access to more appropriate care settings thanks to the remarkable partnerships and generosity of Jackie Wendland and the Hicks-Snorf family.”
In addition to major contributions, countless smaller community gifts, often made in honor of a loved one or special healthcare provider, also help provide meaningful support for programs like this.
“Palliative care can be a difficult thing to get people excited about or interested in,” Wendland says, “but it is so important and so helpful to the people who access it. I appreciate that now more people can benefit from this service, and I hope the program’s expansion also increases awareness of this life-changing service in our community.”
