The International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care (IAAHPC) has been an integral part of allowing me to bring advanced senior pet care, hospice & palliative care services to the families and pets of the U.P. As it states on their website, as an organization, we "promote comfort care that addresses the physical, psychological, and social needs of animals with chronic and/or life-limiting diseases. We promote physical, emotional, and spiritual support for caregivers. We also educate professionals and advance research in the field of animal hospice and palliative care." Their vision of making animal hospice and palliative care services widely available to animals and their caregivers and of animal hospice and palliative care to be broadly recognized by the veterinary community as a whole and mental health/spiritual care professionals worldwide as an integral part of quality care. As a member of this organization, I embody this mission statement and vision statement in all that I do for the pets and families in my care. Additionally, members of the IAAHPC have been immeasurably supportive of me professionally and personally over the few years I have been involved with them, which has meant the world to me. I don't feel that I can thank them enough for all of their support but, in return, I can support and promote them as well. In between the craziness of life, I have supported and promoted the IAAHPC organization in small ways over the years and volunteered in small roles. I have wanted to and felt the need to do more for this amazing, all-inclusive organization that I am a part of. Now is my chance. I have "jumped in the deep end," as they say, and the IAAHPC Board of Directors has accepted me as a member of their board starting January 2021. I am very excited to be a bigger part of this emerging worldly organization, to help the continuation of and the shaping of animal hospice and palliative care for the future and getting the word out there that animal hospice exists and is a wonderful addition to veterinary medicine that allows people to strengthen their bonds with their pets at the end of their pet's journey in life. I am so exited for this adventure and dive into this fabulous organization and excited to bring all that I learn back here to benefit the pets and their families of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan!
