Fairhaven Memorial Park Honors St. Joseph Hospice Volunteer

ORANGE, Calif. - Aug. 19, 2014 - PRLog -- Death is not something to fear, according to St. Joseph Hospice volunteer (http://www.stjosephhomehealth.org/Our-Services/Hospice/Hospice-Volunteers.aspx) Leslie McSparran. When her father was diagnosed with cancer in 1994, McSparran traveled back to Maryland to care for him. McSparran was impressed by the thorough care the hospital provided patients and their families. The experience inspired her to give back and now volunteers her time with St. Joseph Hospice.

McSparran is the August recipient of Fairhaven’s Oliver Halsell Care Award (http://www.fairhavenmemorial.com/community/oliver-halsell-care-award). Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary, with locations in Santa Ana (http://www.fairhavenmemorial.com/) and Mission Viejo (http://www.fairhavenmemorialservices.com/), created the recognition program in 2012 to pay monthly tribute to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional care in their profession and community, improving the lives and spirits of those they help. Winners come from many fields including private care, hospice, social work, counseling, assisted living, nursing, therapy and volunteer work.

“It takes a gentle soul to spend time with a person in the final stages of life,” said Marla Noel, president of Fairhaven. “Leslie displays a genuine love and compassion for her patients – the kind of care we want to recognize with our Oliver Halsell Care Award.”

As a volunteer with hospice, McSparran offers companionship and comfort to the elderly. She explained that she is there mainly to provide social support through activities, talking and just being present for the patient. McSparran also volunteers for the No One Dies Alone program, which offers patients who are actively transitioning a peaceful and reassuring atmosphere during their final hours. Volunteers also provide families with support during this difficult time.

“Leslie has been a faithful hospice volunteer and is an asset to our team,” said Celesta Ary, volunteer coordinator with St. Joseph Hospice. “She goes the extra mile for her patients – bringing flowers, lunch, or whatever little thing she can to brighten their day. She has a delightful disposition and a true heart for caregiving.”

After nearly 30 years in aerospace, McSparran changed career paths, admitting that the corporate world didn’t satisfy her need to nurture. A self-described “people person,” McSparran now works for a family-owned catering company called Teak Catering (http://www.teakcatering.com/), where she serves as the staffing coordinator. Her job involves organizing staff for each job and providing event support.

McSparran will be honored at Fairhaven’s Oliver Halsell Care Awards banquet in November at Fairhaven’s Mission Viejo location. The banquet honors a year’s worth of achievements within the local community. Additionally, Fairhaven will make a donation in her honor to her selected charity, St. Joseph Hospital Foundation (http://www.sjo.org/For-Community/Ways-to-Give/About-the-F...).

About Fairhaven’s Oliver Halsell Care Award

Fairhaven’s Oliver Halsell Care Award pays tribute to Orange County individuals whose kindness and dedication to serving others is inspirational. These courageous individuals go above and beyond their job descriptions to serve with the utmost care and compassion. Fairhaven’s Oliver Halsell Care Award winners come from many fields including private care, hospice, social work, counseling, assisted living, nursing, therapy and volunteer work.

For more information and to nominate a deserving candidate, visit Fairhaven’s website: http://www.fairhavenmemorial.com/community/oliver-halsell-care-award or email CareAwards@FairhavenMemorial.com.

About Fairhaven

Founded in 1911 by Oliver Halsell to provide a peaceful and comforting place for families to honor their loved ones, Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary is Orange County’s most beautiful independently owned and operated full-service mortuary, crematory and cemetery. With the memorial park and mortuary in Central Orange County (http://www.fairhavenmemorial.com/) and an elegantly appointed mortuary in South Orange County (http://www.fairhavenmemorialservices.com/), Fairhaven provides funeral, cremation and burial services both at the time of need and through advanced planning, maintaining its steadfast commitment to care and compassion. Fairhaven is dedicated to celebrating the individual, providing services that are as unique and wide-ranging as the people they celebrate. Additional information is available at www.fairhavenmemorial.com. Connect with Fairhaven at www.facebook.com/fairhavenmemorial or www.twitter.com/fairhavenoc.