Community members, donors and staff gathered recently at Evelyn’s House to celebrate the official dedication of “My Sister’s Garden,” an outdoor space for patients and their families to enjoy the serenity of nature.
The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital hosted the event coinciding with the two-year anniversary of the 16-bed hospice house, built on the campus of Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital in 2017.
The garden was created to honor the memory of Kajsa, the beloved sister of Aja Stokes, one of the founding donors to Evelyn’s House. The space, dedicated to sisters everywhere, is designed to touch all five senses with a water feature, flowers and plants.
The impact of compassionate hospice care at Evelyn’s House has been felt across the St. Louis community. In 2018, it served 660 families and is projected to serve more than 700 in 2019.
“The spirit of Evelyn’s House is so much bigger than a single building or any one person,” says Patrick White, MD, chief medical officer for BJC Home Care & Hospice and chief of the Division of Palliative Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine. “It is about doing the right thing and making change that enables the care that changes people’s lives. The spirit Evelyn’s House grows from the momentum started with donor investments and commitment to building this home for hospice in St. Louis.”