Run For Hospice Milestone

Helping Families Heal through Remembrance for 15 Years

Rochester, N.Y. – October 8, 2010: The Run for Hospice hits a milestone this year – this well known autumnal run slated for Saturday, October 16, 2010, at Grace & Truth Sports Park, 373 North Greece Rd., marks its 15th anniversary of families and friends gathering to remember loved ones who in their final days were cared

for by Visiting Nurse Hospice (VNH) staff and volunteers.

For the past 15 years Peter Van Peursem, Run for Hospice event director, has worked tirelessly to ensure that others in the Rochester community will have the same supportive and comforting experience he and his family had with VNH. Peter and his family relied on the services of VNH through the final stages of his mother’s life. He was deeply touched by the support the hospice staff provided, and felt an event like this would be a fitting tribute to his mother and a way to thank and recognize those involved in her end-of-life care. To that end, $348,000 has been donated to VNH.

As his appreciation grew, so too did the event, now considered one of the top athletic and family-focused events in the area, offering something for everyone – all in memory of his mom Helen Van Peursem. Today, the Run for Hospice draws top regional, national and international athletes. Families turn out to participate in remembrance of their loved ones. Volunteers provide support all year long or just the day of the Run. And Van Peursem uses the hectic, nearly sleepless days approaching the Run to reflect on why he does it.

“I really put on the event for three main reasons,” noted Van Peursem. “I see it as a way to honor my mother’s memory every year – she was a wonderful person, a very loving mother and grandmother, and she was my best friend. Secondly, I want this race to benefit the wonderful organization that provided tremendous care for Mom during the last six months of her life, raising as much money as possible so that Visiting Nurse Hospice can continue to care for their patients the same way they cared for Mom back in 1995. Lastly, the Rochester running community is a very close-knit group of people. I really want to provide them with a special race that they’re proud to be a part of and look forward to all year.”

Several levels of competition are available for runners and walkers, including a 10-Mile Road Race (8:45 start time), the 5K Road Race and 5K Fitness Walk (9 a.m.); the 5K Wheelchair Division (8:55 a.m.); and the Upstate HomeCare Children’s Fun Run (10 a.m.).

Entry fee postmarked by Thursday, October 14 is $21; then $25 (free custom designed Run t-shirt for the first 1,500 registrants); and $5 for the Children’s Fun Run (t-shirts not included). Attendees will enjoy great food and fun, and will be eligible to win hundreds of raffle prizes worth thousands of dollars at the best post-race party around. Non-race guests are welcomed for a $5 fee per person.

Visit the Run for Hospice website at www.runforhospice.com, to register online. For more information, contact Van Peursem at 585.594.4197, via e-mail at Pete@runforhospice.com.

Visiting Nurse Service of Rochester and Monroe County, Inc. (VNS) is a not-for-profit, Medicare-certified home health care agency. Licensed by the State of New York, VNS has been providing quality care since 1919. As the largest full-service home health provider in the Rochester area, VNS conducts more than 600,000 visits to 13,000 patients annually. VNS is a member of the Home Care Association of New York State, Inc., and the National Association for Home Care. For more information, please visit www.vnsnet.com or call 585.787.2233.