Your local non-profit offering help for those facing serious illness and grief

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Willamette Vital Health is a non-profit organization founded in 1978 and based in Salem, Oregon.

Formerly known as Willamette Valley Hospice, we provide comprehensive hospice care services, supportive care for pain & symptom management for those with serious illness, and grief support. Through our mission, Willamette Vital Health supports adults and children living with a serious or life-limiting illness throughout Marion and Polk counties and beyond.

Our Mission

We are a community owned, not-for-profit organization providing innovative, personalized, and compassionate care to patients and families facing serious illness.

Vision

01

A world where everyone facing serious illness, death, and grief has access to the best personalized and compassionate care.

Core Values

02

Caring, Teaching and Empowerment. We hold this as the heart of our mission.

Excellence

03

Quality, Passion, and Expertise. We are committed to constantly improving our knowledge, skills, programs, and services.

Integrity

04

Trust, Ethics and Accountability. With our words and actions, we do the right thing 100% of the time.

Community

05

Diversity, Collaboration and Relationships. We promote an environment that honors our colleagues, partners, and those we serve.

Sustainability

06

Stewardship, Innovation and Philanthropy. We practice responsible resources management to provide for present and future needs.

Inclusion

07

At Willamette Vital Health, caring, teaching, and empowerment are our core values. To best serve our diverse community, we commit to fostering spaces where all feel respected, heard, valued, and supported. This is essential for our mission success and our broader contribution to building a more inclusive and equitable world, beginning with our own organization.

Willamette Valley Hospice began in 1978 with a group of dedicated volunteers who saw the unmet needs of terminally ill patients and their families in the Willamette Valley.

Since that time, our name has changed to Willamette Vital Health to reflect the addition of palliative care services, grief support, the Tokarski Home, and numerous cutting-edge programs to benefit those facing serious and life-limiting illnesses. Willamette Vital Health has grown from an agency caring for nine patients to over 1,350 hospice patients each year.

Community is important to us. We live and work in the communities we serve and are dedicated to providing services and community support to all. We believe hospice care and grief support should be available to everyone and we provide services to all, regardless of ability to pay.

Board of Directors

Willamette Vital Health is fortunate to have a dedicated group of volunteers as our board of directors.

Andrew Bone, President

"Having options about how to spend our days at the end of life is an important part of building community.  I serve on WVH's Board as a way to maintain and enrich this option."

Rev. John Moody, Co-chair

"I choose to serve on WVH's Board because I  believe the end of life journey is a most sacred time in a person’s life.  I find joy in offering my service to an agency whose primary objective is to serve and support  individuals, families and our community though this journey."

Betty O'Brien, Treasurer

"WVH nurses and staff provided caring and professional services to my husband and me during his final weeks.  As a Board member, I seek to ensure those services are available to ease everyone’s end-of-life experience."

Michael Cherry, Secretary

"I serve on WVH's Board because I want to help make a difference in people’s lives and be of service. What an honor and privilege it is to be a part of such meaningful work."

Naomi Hormann

"I am grateful for the opportunity to serve WVH and our community. I have witnessed first-hand the care and respect our patients and their families receive. I believe giving back to the community is a must in our lives."

Wayne Kinkade

"I believe in WVH's mission to change the end of life experience for families in our community.  It is my pleasure to serve alongside our amazing staff and volunteers."

Mark Bidwell

"I believe in the mission of the Hospice movement. While we celebrate the arrival of births (as we should), so ought we cherish and celebrate those whose time is drawing short. The care provided to individuals and their family members by Willamette Valley Hospice during the dying and grieving process is an important aspect of life. I’m grateful to serve on the board in order to help further these services to our community."

Miriam Scharer

“Respectful and compassionate end of life care should be accessible to everyone in our community and WVH leads that effort in the mid-Willamette valley. I am honored to serve on the board so that I can contribute to the ongoing excellence and sustainability of services into the future.”

Carolyn Van Otten

"I hope to contribute to the health and longevity of this caring and creative community treasure."

Vicki Holland

“I have witnessed the care and warmth of hospice nurses and have benefitted from their expertise in my own time of need. As a result, I am honored to serve on the board of WVH to ensure that other people in our community may experience this same level of care and concern as they support their loved ones through their final days.”

Debbie Baca-Dietz

“I am truly honored to have been selected to serve on WVH’'s Board.  When faced with my own mortality (cancer diagnosis), I recall wanting to make my own decisions and choices regarding my health which reflected my preferences and those of my family. WVH provides end of life care that acknowledges every person's life situation and basic dignity.  As a community member,  it is a pleasure to serve as a volunteer in this capacity.”

Dr. Scott Hadden

"As a physician who cares for all ages I always appreciate Willamette Vital Health for prompt and personal attention to any referral or concern. I consistently get wonderful feedback from families. They feel supported at all times.”

The Board of Directors of Willamette Vital Health is committed, not only to continually learning and understanding the importance of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice within the Board itself, the entire agency, and the community we serve, but also to providing services to traditionally underserved people and families.

This process will be directed by the Board of Directors through the Strategic Planning process and implemented by the Executive Director and Staff.

Through our mission of providing innovative, personalized and compassionate care to patients and families, we will also support and continually work toward an open culture of care for everyone.

The Board is committed to supporting the principles of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within the organization and recognizes that such a culture thrives within a community and creates an understanding, caring work environment.

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