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FAMILY
Darlene
Darlene Landsittel's sister Alice died in the Midwest CareCenter Hospice program in December 2007, and her sister Patti subsequently received counseling services from the organization. Darlene feels strongly that Midwest CareCenter staff " … are truly angels and ministers of the earth. I just have so much appreciation for what they do."
In 1998, Darlene Landsittel opened Hydrangea, a cozy English tea room and antique shop in the heart of Wilmette. A collector of antiques who enjoys baking for friends and family, Darlene loved the concept of serving patrons traditional high tea, with finger sandwiches, scones and specialty desserts. And by hiring friends and family as employees, she was able to spend more time with the people she cared about, especially her sisters Alice and Patti.
Growing up in Chicago, Darlene, Alice and Patti had been close all their lives. "We always took care of each other," Darlene recalled. The eldest, Alice, was a regular at the Landsittel household after Darlene married and, with a keen sense of humor, often brought the children games and even lottery tickets for fun. Patti was mentally challenged, yet lived independently in Skokie. Darlene and Patti would spend Mondays together—a routine that became known as "Patti Days" within Darlene's family.
After six successful years in business, Darlene closed Hydrangea in the fall of 2004 because she wanted to spend more time with her husband, Dave, and their three adult children. In the last months of closing the shop, Darlene also had a nagging feeling that Alice wasn't in good health—"she seemed frailer and had less energy." That August, Alice was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Receiving four rounds of chemotherapy and additional medical treatments, Alice lived for nearly three years with cancer. Eventually, the family contacted Midwest CareCenter for hospice services. In December 2007, Alice was moved to the hospice inpatient unit, a "calm, positive, gentle place," where she died two weeks later.
Alice's death impacted the entire family, especially Patti, a dialysis patient who was battling cancer—multiple myeloma—herself. Patti "talked with me one day and said she felt sad and anxious," Darlene remembered. Fran Nathanson, a Midwest CareCenter counselor, began visiting Patti in her condo once a week. "Fran is very calm, and would listen to Patti's fears and reassure her. She was so sensitive to Patti's special needs," said Darlene. "She really brought sunshine into my sister's life."
In September 2008, nine months after Alice died, Darlene was faced with another loss: Patti's sudden death due to renal failure from the cancer. In spite of her grief, Darlene noted that what keeps her going are the wonderful memories of her sisters—the love and the laughter that they shared throughout their lives. She credits Midwest CareCenter as an organization that makes the burdens of death and grief "easier to bear." And she plans to continue her connection to Midwest CareCenter as a volunteer—"I'll lick envelopes or whatever they need me to do," she said. "Anything to help out a place that makes paths lighter and days brighter."
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