The Power of Giving

Dick and Peggy Fleming created a fund to support hospice care

Dick Fleming knew his brother, Mickey, was glad to be home. Nearing the end of his battle with prostate cancer, Mickey wanted to be out of the hospital and back amid his own familiar surroundings. It was in that Long Island, N.Y., home that the Fleming family first personally experienced the special care and importance of hospice. “The nurses and aides were caring, faithful and upbeat,” he says. “They cared both for my brother and his family.”

Fleming wanted to ensure that same end-of-life care was available in his community. His $200,000 gift in 1989 established an endowment that provides perpetual support for Lehigh Valley Hospice. Because only the interest is spent to support hospice services annually, the fund is guaranteed to grow and help local families for decades to come.

Fleming’s wish is twofold—first, that the fund will continue to strengthen the hospice program, and second, that more community members will choose to contribute to its continuing growth.

“Most people who have been served by hospice are so grateful, they want to give something back,” he says.

Through the Fleming Family Endowment Fund for Hospice, you can do just that. In memory of a loved one, you can make a gift in any amount with your family’s name attached. Your gift will be added to the endowment. A larger fund means a larger return on investment and an increase in funds allotted to support hospice’s compassionate care.

Fleming and his wife Peggy support many other Lehigh Valley Hospital programs. “There is no feeling of satisfaction better than knowing you helped make a positive difference in people’s lives,” he says.

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