NEWSFEED

CEO Message: May 2026

Hospice Giving Foundation CEO, Erin White, and Dr. Laura Berman
in conversation at the 2026 Gratitude Luncheon

Dear Partners and Friends,

I had a good Mother’s Day. I went to breakfast with my kids in Carmel. I called my own mother, who lives 3,000 miles away and is every bit as vital and spunky as she was when I was a child. I called my stepmother, who has been a wise and loving presence in my life since I was nine years old. I thought about my grandmother, my sisters, aunts, cousins, colleagues, and friends who are mothers. It was, in many ways, a joyful day. For today.

The thing about working in end-of-life care is that very little brings you into the present moment like thinking about our own mortality, or that of the people we love. One day, there will be a year when I will not have my mother to call. Or, God forbid, vice versa. That Mother’s Day, and perhaps every one after, may carry something different. Gratitude and love, yes. But also loss. Maybe even a quiet sense of disconnection in a world that continues to celebrate what is no longer physically here.

I do not mean to be a downer. But when I took this role, I made a promise to myself and to this community that we would not look away from hard experiences. That we would tend to what I often think of as the unseen corners–the places where grief, loneliness, and uncertainty live. So if this is you, here I am. Seeing you on Mother’s Day.

This spring, I had the opportunity to meet a remarkable mother, Dr. Laura Berman, who joined us as the featured speaker at our annual Gratitude Luncheon. She shared the story of her son, Sammy, who died at age 16 in 2021, and the unimaginable grief that followed. We were first introduced to Dr. Laura through her Love Mama Grief Retreat at 1440 Multiversity, where we were honored to provide scholarships for local mothers through the Siobhan Greene Care and Dignity Fund. Thanks to many of you, we will continue that support this year.

Among 200 foundation partners and friends, Dr. Laura spoke about grief not as something to “get through,” but as something we can move with. She described it as a portal, a profound opening that, while born of deep pain, can lead us toward greater presence, deeper connection, and a more honest relationship with love. Not because the loss becomes easier, but because we begin to integrate it into who we are and how we live.

She also invited us into a broader conversation about prevention and advocacy, including support for Sammy’s Law, which seeks to better protect young people in the digital world.

But one question from that afternoon stayed with me: How do we show up for someone who is grieving?

Dr. Laura offered a few simple, powerful reminders:

Say something. Silence can feel like abandonment. A simple “I’m so sorry” is enough.
Do not try to fix it. There is nothing to fix. Grief is not a problem to solve.
Use the name of the person who died. It honors their life and acknowledges their presence.
Be willing to sit in discomfort. Your presence matters more than the right words.
Offer specific help. A meal, a walk, a call. Not “if you need anything, let me know.” That puts the responsibility on the person who is grieving to figure it out.
Remember the long arc. Support is often needed most after others have moved on. Remember birthdays, anniversaries, or a random Tuesday six months–or six years–after the loss.

This is the work. Most of us have the opportunity to do it every day.

Thank you for being part of it.

With gratitude,

Erin White
President & CEO