President and CEO, Sandra McKenzie had been a hospice nurse for over ten years when she was fortunate enough to be inspired by her brother, Gary, to make her dream a reality; it was his final gift to her. She had worked for several hospices in her nursing career and saw standardized plans of care each time. She felt that there was no place for a “cookie cutter” approach in hospice care.
Out of Gary’s need for hospice care, the Affinity Home Hospice team was born. Gary taught his sister that it was important for the patient to be involved in the planning and to customize hospice services to meet the needs of the individual patient as well as their family. He taught her that the dying process does not have to be a frightening experience and that it can be beautiful, especially when surrounded by those you love the most.
The guiding principles Sandra brought to Affinity in 2004 are still cherished today- compassion, dedication to service, and accountability.
