Maggie Allesee Recognized as a Heroine and Humanitarian by National Hospice Foundation

DETROIT, MI, August 16, 2012

Detroit-area philanthropist, civic leader and longtime Hospice of Michigan Director Maggie Allesee was recognized by the National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization as a national heroine of hospice.

Allesee, who has been a strong supporter of HOM for more than 20 years, was recognized for her accomplishments with the organization during the National Hospice Foundation Gala honoring the "Women of Hospice, A Salute to Heroines and Humanitarians."

The annual gala honors the courageous women who have helped lead and shape hospice in their communities, across the nation and throughout the world. According to NHPCO, Allesee and the other honorees have shown an "unwavering spirit to envision a world where everyone facing serious illness, death and grief will experience the best that humankind can offer."

"We are so grateful for Maggie's tremendous leadership and outstanding advocacy on our behalf," said Dottie Deremo, president and CEO of Hospice of Michigan. "Her vision and commitment to the work we do led to the creation of the Maggie Allesee Center for Quality of Life in 2000, which has allowed us to collaborate with major universities and health care centers to study and to improve the way we approach the end of life."

The Center is the hub for research, education and community outreach initiatives aimed at improving care for people who are seriously ill, as well as assisting their caregivers. The Center has been recognized locally, statewide and nationally for its studies of quality of life issues. It has also been involved with various research initiatives in collaboration with major universities and health care centers.

About Hospice of Michigan
A nationally recognized leader in end-of-life care, Hospice of Michigan is the original - and largest - hospice in the state of Michigan. The non-profit organization cares for more than 1,000 patients each day in 56 counties, raising more than $4 million each year to cover the cost of care for the uninsured and underinsured. HOM offers innovative programs to enhance the quality of care for people at the end of life, education programs for physicians and healthcare professionals, caregiver education materials, cultural diversity programs for end-of-life care, and research and education programs at the Maggie Allesee Center for Quality of Life. For more information, call Hospice of Michigan's CARE Center 24/7 at 888.247.5701 or go to http://www.hom.org.