Patient Story

Robin Button

"My sister-in-law was on a mission to leave things a certain way, and she needed time in hospice to finish that up. She needed to be awake and pain-free." 

When Taylor Helton turned 9, she decided she really didn't need anything for her birthday. Instead, she asked people to donate to the hospice that cared for Robin Button, a favorite aunt who died at 49 of colon cancer.  She collected $600.

Taylor wasn't the only one inspired by Robin's positive hospice experience.  Taylor's mother, Alison, now volunteers at the local hospice facility serving breakfast and fluffing pillows, and she bought a poodle that she hopes to train as a therapy dog to spend time with patients. Robin's mother, Joan Helton, also volunteers as a receptionist. 

Robin and her son, Justin, at a low-country boil in the hospice facility parking lot.

Taylor, Alison, Joan and many other family members participate in fundraising walks for the Hospice of Cincinnati every fall. "We have a badge that says we're walking in memory of Robin. It's a really neat, connecting type of thing," said Alison.

"Robin had a great experience with hospice," said Alison. "She was in a lot of pain, and when the nurse suggested hospice, she was reluctant at first.  None of us knew what it was, but after we went through the experience as a family, we understood. I visited her the first day at the hospice facility, she was a totally different person. They took care of the pain.

"She had her own room, and a family member stayed with her 24 hours a day," said Alison. "She kind of moved in, made it home. She had music therapy, and she really enjoyed that.  She was very content. Her primary goal was pain management so she could have quality time with her kids.  My sister-in-law was on a mission to leave things a certain way, and she needed time in hospice to finish that up. She needed to be awake and pain-free.  She finished her journals for her three sons. She bought christening gowns for babies who didn't yet exist. Things like that she wanted to leave behind."

Instead of birthday presents, Robin’s niece, Taylor Helton, asked people to donate to the hospice that cared for her aunt.

In her three months at the hospice facility, Robin constantly visited with family, and enjoyed several parties.

"There were always eight or 10 of us there every night," remembers Alison. "We had a low-country boil in the parking lot. She had orchestrated it from her room.

"I've had the hospice experience several times since then with other relatives," said Alison. "All the experiences are different, but they've all been such a positive experience."