But she says her family’s experience with Southcoast Health doctors, visiting nurses and hospice caregivers was life-affirming and provided great comfort and support as her parents struggled with cancer.

An only child, Colleen brought her aging father and mother, Ronald (Ronnie) and Mary Fabas, to stay with her at her home in Middleboro in 2019. The couple had been living in Attleboro, but when Mary was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017, Colleen wanted to be able to care for the couple and help them to get the services they needed.

As her parents settled in, Colleen connected them with Southcoast Health, where Mary entered the care of primary care physician, Dr. Kevin Delahanty, who practices at Southcoast Physicians Group Internal Medicine in Wareham.

Mary also received care at the Southcoast Health Cancer Center in Fairhaven under the skilled guidance of oncologist Dr. Susan Kim.

“The care that my mom received was exceptional,” said Colleen.

During one visit with the couple, Dr. Delahanty noticed Colleen’s father had lost a lot of weight in just a few months. He sought answers and Ronnie underwent extensive testing before he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January 2020. Ronnie began treatment with oncologist Dr. Edress Othman at the Southcoast Health Cancer Center. Screening and early detection are critical for successful treatment; however, pancreatic cancer is especially hard to diagnose early. For people who aren’t at an increased risk of developing the disease, there is no standard screening recommendation like there is for breast and colon cancer.

Then, when Mary began experiencing pain in her back, tests showed her cancer had spread to her bones. At the time of diagnosis, unfortunately, the disease had progressed too far for Mary to receive aggressive treatment. She was placed in the care of Southcoast Visiting Nurses, who provided palliative care for Mary in her home to help ease her pain. Sometimes, the nurses stopped by on days when they were not scheduled to visit, just to see if they could help. And Dr. Delahanty visited with the couple to help Mary and Ronnie plan for her end-of-life care.

Mary’s sister Kate Corbett of Watch Hill, near Westerly, RI, said Dr. Delahanty told her that “Mary made me a better doctor.”

As the end of her life neared, Mary was placed in the care of the Southcoast hospice team, whom Kate called “angels here on earth.” They addressed the family’s concerns and questions and provided “the most compassionate care” to Mary in her final days. She passed away at home in 2021, with Colleen and other family members by her side.

Meanwhile, Ronnie’s treatments at the Cancer Center under Dr. Othman would sustain him for three years before the disease’s progression led his family and medical team to place him in palliative care with the Southcoast Visiting Nurses, and then hospice care. Many of his caregivers had been part of Mary’s care team at the end of her life and were there for Ronnie too.

“They were like my new best friends,” Kate said.

“Dr. Delahanty came to visit my father three times at our home to discuss his wishes and better manage his pain, anxiety and end-of-life issues,” Colleen said. “My father’s hospice team was so supportive, knowledgeable and caring. They met me where I was on this journey and helped me to keep my father at home – where we all wanted him to be in his final days.” Ronnie passed away at home, surrounded by family, in 2023, at age 88.

Colleen had special praise for case manager Meaghan Buckley (“She would check in on days when she wasn’t even working with us, and she would stop in on her way home” just to see how Ronnie and the family were doing). Colleen also singled out social worker Susan Bliss and Chaplain Lori Howes, “who became like part of the family.”

The quality care and compassion of the Southcoast team and the integration of Southcoast services from primary care through cancer care and end-of-life care impressed Colleen. In fact, she changed her primary care to Southcoast from the provider she had seen for 15 years.

“I will be forever grateful to Southcoast VNA and Hospice for providing the support allowing me to care for my parents at home. They were wonderful parents, and it was an honor to care for them,” Colleen wrote in a letter.

Said Mary’s sister Kate, “For that time in everyone’s life, if you have the opportunity for this type of incredibly good and compassionate healthcare, consider yourself blessed.”

On August 8, 2024, Southcoast VNA is hosting “Hope Takes Flight,” a fundraising event to support its Compassion Fund, at Rosebrook Event Center. For information and tickets, please visit Hope Takes Flight | Southcoast Health.