It is an honor and privilege to introduce Heart of Hospice honoree, Lynn Kiefer.
Lynn is a true champion of our mission! Our mission is her mission and she brings our mission to life every day, both in the job she does and also how she does it. When Lynn joined St. Francis in 2018 she worked as the social worker for the Sand Dollar Team. She was always there to ensure our patient’s needs were met and was there to support the families during difficult times. Since transitioning to the Coordinator of the North Star Program, she has created a place for the most vulnerable of the populations to be supported, loved and compassionately served all while walking with them through their grief journey.
Fierce, loyal, committed, skillful, kind and compassionate advocate are all words that were used to describe Lynn and the extensive work she has done since becoming “the face” of the North Star Program. Testimonies from parents refer to her as “a God send” and school social workers rely on her and respect her as a grief expert.
The best way to summarize Lynn is to attend one of her events! During the grips of Covid in 2020 she understood the importance of making memories for the children during the holidays, when other events were being cancelled, she created the holiday drive thru event. Since then she has prided herself in creating moments that the children and their families can make new memories. The Summer Carnival, outdoor movies, painting in the park and the list goes on. This year in an effort to outdo her holiday drive thru, she created Disney magic for all to enjoy. One of the best things about Lynn is that it isn’t only for the children and their families, she invites each of us as staff to join to make a difference, for those moments in time, we too get to be inspired by all she does and see the magic she makes, and some even get to be a princess.
With Lynn’s guidance and support, the attendance of the program has multiplied and is growing into the schools. It is inspiring to see the growth and impact she has made and in only a short time she has made North Star the leader of grief services for children in Brevard County.
Lynn has a huge heart and she makes an extraordinary difference in every person she encounters. As one person notes, Lynn reminds me why I wanted to work in hospice, she truly epitomizes the Heart of Hospice.
Please join us in congratulating Lynn Kiefer, 2022 Heart of Hospice Recipient.