When Diane and Chuck Stephens decided to leave a large portion of their estate to a philanthropic cause, they chose hospice care, a cause they have contributed to for many years. Chuck and Diane are very grateful that Diane’s mother and father were recipients of outstanding end-of-life hospice care in New Hampshire, and they wanted to replicate that kind of support for the northeast Georgia area. Diane reflects, “We thought about it long and hard, and decided we wanted to do something for the community that would benefit many in the years to come. Taking the initiative in planning for the building of a community Hospice House is a wonderful thing to be able to do. Many people think that hospice care is about the patient, however, the family benefits in many ways as well.”

 

Diane has spent her life helping others, first through her career with the Red Cross, and after retiring, as a volunteer at Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) Braselton. In the fall of 2022, she will be appointed president of the Auxiliary Board, overseeing more than 600 volunteers. Chuck is retired from Lucent Technologies and is passionate about leaving a lasting legacy for northeast Georgia.   

The Stephens recently pledged a $5 million estate gift to Northeast Georgia Health System to build its first Hospice House. The new hospice facility will cost approximately $10 million and while several generous donors have added another 1/2 million, Chuck and Diane are hopeful others will contribute toward the remaining $4.5 million. For further information on how to donate to Hospice of NGMC and help raise the remaining funds needed to break ground on the project, visit NGHS.com/hospice-house.