Sharing happiness has its rewards

To Paula Haydon, helping those in hospice care is the most rewarding job in the world - not something she'd ever consider receiving an award for.
Whether it's training new hospice volunteers, doing clerical duties or giving "hospice hugs" to patients feeling depressed, Spring Hill resident Haydon said volunteering for HPH Hospice in Brooksville is one of the most uplifting jobs she's ever done.
Following her 11 years working to help families and hospice patients cope through the dying process, Haydon was recognized earlier this month for her contributions to hospice care by receiving the Foundation of Hospice Award from the National Council of Hospice and Palliative Professionals.
According to the group's Web site, award recipients are selected based on those who "have made extraordinary contributions to the hospice and palliative care field and whose work has made a demonstrable difference in the lives of patients."
While Haydon was shocked to receive the honor, her co-workers were not.
After working with her for more than 10 years, Sue Illgen, a registered nurse and HPH House supervisor, said the HPH House couldn't run without her. She added that Haydon is always there for both patients and co-workers to solve problems and make the house better overall.
"I couldn't imagine any better person than Paula to win this award," Illgen said. "She just wears so many hats to help organize this place. And she's just a very caring person - both to the other volunteers and the patients."
While honored by the praise and attention of the award, Haydon said she doesn't do anything different that many other volunteers do. In a job that deals with death, she said it's the support she and other volunteers give each other that helps them give joy and hope to their patients.
"If anything, receiving this award - it creates a time of reflection and made me wonder why I received this," Haydon said. "There are plenty of volunteers who do what I do or even more. But that means I'm responsible to represent those volunteers - at least for a year - and that's a huge honor."
For HPH patient Darlene Reed, the volunteer work that Haydon and others do for her is more than just a kindness, it's a lifesaver. Having been at HPH for about four months with colon cancer, she said there are many days when she just needs someone to talk to - or vent her frustration to depending on the day.
On Tuesday, that person was Haydon, who stopped in throughout the day to see if she needed anything or to just chat.
"I'm just grateful for all they do," Reed said. "Yes, I'm terminally ill and that's scary - but they make things really peaceful and I feel like I can talk to them about anything. You couldn't ask for better care.
For Haydon, this is what her favorite part is about volunteering - connecting with people.
With licenses in radiologic technology and radiation therapy, Haydon retired more than 11 years ago and for a time focused on her favorite pastimes - golfing, playing tennis and camping.
However, she said she felt like she wasn't accomplishing anything and wanted to do more to make a difference. Once she learned about hospice volunteering, she said she knew she found her calling.
Haydon said she's learned a lot listening and talking with patients and that it has made her an overall better person.
Now with her national award, Haydon said she's not going to change what she does. If anything, she hopes more people choose to volunteer as awareness increases about hospice care.
"There are a lot of misconceptions about what we do and about hospice care in general," Haydon said. "It's an opportunity to make a difference - to sit down with people and learn about their lives. I've found that a lot of people think they're not interesting until you get them talking. Then even they learn that they're more interesting then they thought."