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Two Brothers’ Story: Hospice Is Honest and Loving Care

Two Brothers’ Story: Hospice Is Honest and Loving Care ~ Brothers Dan and Tim Tracy, both lifelong residents of Marlette and Dan a local business owner, raised their families in our small town and are thankful for local healthcare resources when they needed it most.

Unfortunately, in the last year, both Dan and Tim each lost a daughter to cancer—Dan’s daughter Melissa was 31 years old and Tim’s daughter Jessica was age 43. Both Dan and Tim have lost children before the recent passing of their daughters, but nothing can ever quite prepare you for losing a child. Hospice specializes in end-of-life care and guides families through that difficult journey.

Dan shared when his daughter Melissa was told that her liver cancer had spread throughout her body, after fighting for a year, the doctors recommended hospice. He and his wife Loretta shared that despite the unsettling news, “Hospice in Marlette was the only place to go.” Melissa had been undergoing treatment at UofM and they wanted to bring her home. Dan and Loretta knew that United Hospice Service in Marlette had an inpatient unit where Melissa could be cared for 24/7, so it was an easy decision to choose the Hospice Residence, given the circumstances. “The staff were right on the stick and took excellent care of her. They did 100% with everything. Their hearts were as saddened as ours and you could tell that they truly cared,” Dan said. Lorretta added, “When you can’t go home, you have the Residence, and it makes you feel like you’re at home.”

When Tim’s daughter Jessica learned that she had stage 4 bone cancer just days after getting diagnosed with cervical cancer, Tim shared that his daughter decided to not pursue treatment and decided to go straight to hospice. Working in the hospice field for over 10 years, Jessica was familiar with United Hospice Service and what they could provide to her and her family. Jessica started hospice care at home where she remained for two weeks. She later transferred to the Hospice Residence, where she once worked, for the remainder of her time. Tim felt comfortable with Jessica’s decision to use United Hospice Service because his mother received hospice care while she was in Marlette Regional Hospital’s nursing home. Tim shared, “The staff were more than accommodating,” and went on to share that the night before Jessica passed, the staff set him up with a bedroom of his own so he could shower and be comfortable. “The staff at United Hospice Service are family oriented—you’re not just a number. The doors were always open for me and my family,” added Tim.
It’s unfortunate that brothers Dan and Tim had to both utilize hospice services this year for their young daughters, but they shared that they are so thankful for United Hospice Service in Marlette. Tim concluded that “hospice is honest and loving care,” at a time needed most.
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Photo: Dan (right) and Tim (left) were recently featured on area billboards holding photos of their daughters, Melissa Tracy (December 15, 1987 – April 10, 2019) and Jessica Tracy (May 21, 1976 – September 04, 2019).