A participant of the Sentinemental Journeys program interacts with Magic,
of Magical Meadows, as a medic and Magical Meadows co-founder
Larry Stackhouse overlooks. Sentimental Journeys grants wishes
for terminally ill hospice patients within the county, taking them anywhere
within Indiana, free. Photo by Aaron Organ, Times-Union.
10/15/2011 12:05:00 AM Aaron Organ Staff Writer-Times Union
Sometimes, there are looks for which words cannot do any justice, and sparkles in eyes that convey sure and lasting joy.
Earlier this week, on a warm autumn late afternoon at a horse farm in the city’s outskirts, beneath a heavenly dipping-sun sky, a “wish” was realized as a hospice patient on dwindling days - paramedics by her side - connected not just with a horse and a bunny, but with her spirit again.
In its second-ever “journey”, the local Sentimental Journeys program, which grants last wishes for terminally ill patients in hospice, took a woman to the Magical Meadows therapeutic horseback riding farm to just let her mingle with the animals and nature.
And did she ever.
The woman, a victim of a vehicle crash, met, petted and brushed Magical Meadows’ founding member, Magic the horse. She held a long-haired bunny bent on snuggling in the woman’s neck. She heard sheep and donkeys call out, and she returned the gesture to them.
Beautiful. Sentimental. Magical.
“It was really powerful,” said Tammy Stackhouse, who runs Magical Meadows with her husband, Larry. “I’m very blessed. It’s very heartwarming to see somebody like that, who was a normal functioning person, and who has had so much taken away from her, still have this very strong presence and still with a twinkle in her eye.”
Sentimental Journeys, a joint effort between Multi-Township EMS and Kosciusko County Hospice, is a not-for-profit, donation-funded program which transports terminally ill patients anywhere within Indiana they wish. A team of hospice social workers select participants through a series of qualifying conditions – all which are baleful – before welcoming the patient on a Multi-Township EMS-provided ambulance to go where their heart desires.
As a testament to the gravity of the cause, Journeys Director Trish Burns said the program has had “several” candidates since its inception in 2009, but this past week marked the first and second trips ever because the patients passed before their trip came up.
Of course, the finality aspect of the program might make the experience that much more special.
Sentimental Journeys runs with all volunteers, all donations – “just a way to give back,” Burns explained. The three medics – Burns included – who ushered the woman around the Meadows farm were each there on their own time, pulling no pay from Multi-Township EMS.
A family member of the woman rode along, free of charge.Everyone on the Meadows grounds, though, received a jolt of the power of human spirit, though.“What a blessing it was,” said Stackhouse, adding she was so moved by the experience that she will look to see Magical Meadows partner with the Sentimental Journeys program for future wishes. “We are so happy they chose us, to come out and interact with the animals.”
Want to know more about Multi-Township EMS and where we came from? Watch the video below. This video was filmed and produced by Dave Halyaman one of our Advanced EMT's
