Friends of Caroline Palliative and Hospice Care
Breaks Ground for Caroline’s Cottage
story by KAREN SNYDER photo by PAUL NURNBERG renderings by LS3P Associates
It’s a vision and soon-to-be reality for Friends of Caroline Palliative and Hospice Care, who embarked on a $5 million capital campaign last year to build Caroline’s Cottage — a much-needed, homelike, inpatient hospice care facility for our community. Located at 4365 N. Okatie Highway and scheduled to open its door in February 2022, the nonprofit celebrated the groundbreaking for Caroline’s Cottage this past April.
Having achieved about 60% of its fundraising goal, Executive Director Lindsay Roberg anticipates Caroline’s Cottage, a 19,000-square-foot, 8-bed building constructed to reflect Lowcountry architectural charm, will be at full capacity once built. “There are no providers in our area that deliver inpatient end-of-life services to families who need them. Currently, that need is being met either in Mt. Pleasant or Savannah,” she explains. Set upon 10 acres of richly wooded but buildable property neighboring John Paul II Catholic High School, Roberg says that they hope to expand the facility in the future to continue to reach the area’s increasing need for palliative and hospice care services.
“As always, our goal at Friends of Caroline is to meet patients where they are. For most, that means delivering services in-home,” says Roberg. “With Caroline’s Cottage, we’ll now have another option to offer some peace of mind to our patients’ families.”
Caroline’s Cottage, with its planned high-pitched metal roof, wide-open wraparound porches, and landscaped gardens, will provide families with a homelike environment for their loved one where they can visit, dine together, enjoy quiet time in the library or reflection room, or spend private time with their family member in their private suite.
In addition to full-service hospice care, Caroline’s Cottage will also offer respite care to families who may need it on a short-term basis for up to five days. “Many times, the caregivers of our patients are elderly themselves and are dealing with their own health issues or physical limitations. It can be difficult for them to take care of both themselves and their loved one,” adds Roberg. “Our respite care offers them a much-needed break.” Or sometimes, says Roberg, “a family may need assistance as their loved one transitions from the hospital after receiving the diagnosis of a terminal illness. They need time to adjust to what will become their new normal. Caroline’s Cottage will be here for them.”
Building Caroline’s Cottage means “a team of experts will be ready to assist patients every step of the way,” says Roberg about the importance of reaching Friends of Caroline’s Capital Campaign goal. “We’ll continue to sponsor our annual Butterfly Release, Festival of Trees, and other fundraisers that support our regular palliative and hospice services provided to families in their home environment.” However, she adds, through the generous donations and success of the $5 million Friends of Caroline Capital Campaign, the vision of serving families in four counties (Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper) can be achieved. To donate to Friends of Caroline Palliative and Hospice Care or to support the efforts to build Caroline’s Cottage, call (843) 525-6257 or visit www.fochospice.org.
