Regional Hospice and Palliative Care Appoints Attorney Mary Schinke to Board of Directors

Regional Hospice and Palliative Care, of Danbury, Appoints Attorney Mary Schinke, Volunteer Chairperson, to its Board of Directors

This week, Regional Hospice and Palliative Care (RHPC) President & CEO, Cynthia Emiry Roy, announced the appointment of Attorney Mary Schinke of Roxbury, Connecticut as Volunteer Chairperson of the agency’s Board of Directors.  Having volunteered on the Board and as a “Pet Partner” for patients for over four years, Schinke is uniquely qualified to fill this leadership position. As an estate lawyer, Schinke advises clients on services such as wills and trusts, health care advance directives, powers of attorney, and even the future care of a beloved pet should an owner die or become hospitalized. 

Mary began her relationship with Regional Hospice by taking the agency’s 24-hour family support volunteer training, with the goal of visiting hospice patients in the community with her Certified Therapy Dog, “Charlotte,” her Bichon Frise. “Mary’s passion and commitment to our patients and families is unsurpassed, says Roy. “She is a special volunteer because she has served in so many capacities at our agency.”  Since beginning, Mary has volunteered over 110 hours of her time to RHPC.

The services Mary was advocating for became personal two years ago when Steven, her husband of more than 30 years, received a diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis, a progressive and fatal lung disease. “Steven became a Regional Hospice patient in our home,” says Schinke, who devoted time and energy to caring for her husband. Later, when his symptoms worsened, he moved to a private suite at RHPC’s Center for Comfort Care and Healing in Danbury. With steady compassionate care from RHPC staff, Schinke was simply able to be a loving wife to her husband instead of a caregiver juggling endless tasks, a role she had when Steven was in their home. “Being with him without having caretaking demands gave us the gift of quality time together.”

Having had such broad experience with hospice, Schinke comes to her new role with a goal of expanding the scope of the non-profit agency. “Regional Hospice has been around for 36 years, and yet in many parts of Connecticut and eastern New York we’re still a well-kept secret,” she says. “I want to get us out into the community and start having important conversations about the quality of death. I want people to know that they have options when it comes to end of life care.” 

A native New Yorker, Schinke started life in Queens, then spent her formative years in Connecticut at The Ethel Walker School. She graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in Psychology, also earning a certificate in British Studies during her junior year abroad in London. She earned her law degree at Harvard University.

Learn more about RHPC www.regionalhospicect.org

S
Submitted by Southbury, CT

Become a Local Voice in Your Community!

HamletHub invites you to contribute stories, events, and more to keep your neighbors informed and connected.

Read Next