MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — A Manatee County woman is bringing joy to people in hospice care by celebrating their birthdays.
Pam Freas volunteers with Chapters Health Lifepath Hospice by dressing in costumes and visiting patients for their birthdays. She also helps manage the supplies for milestone birthday celebrations, including packing birthday bags full of blankets and pillows.
Freas recently visited a young boy named Jackson who was in home hospice care. She dressed as a dinosaur since Jackson loves dinosaurs.
Although Jackson has a difficult time communicating, Freas spent time talking with him to brighten his day.
“You can’t tell, but he’s very enthused right now,” said mom Jazmeen Cruz.
“Today is my birthday, too,” Freas said. “So that means we are birthday twins. What do you think about that?”
After the visit, Freas was ecstatic.
“This is probably going to go down as one of the best birthday memories for me,” she said. “Sharing a birthday with him and hoping we made his birthday very, very special.”
Freas got started with her volunteer work when her father spent his last days at hospice.
“It really is a special calling,” said Freas. “I started when my father passed away. As a matter of fact, he passed right here at the Hospice House in Sun City and I just knew I had to start volunteering.”
Even though many of the people she visits are near the end of their lives, Freas finds great joy in her work.
“It’s wonderful when you see the reaction of the families. You get a smile out of a patient that’s having a bad day,” she shared.