St. Mary's has broken ground for a $2.4 million addition to its inpatient hospice house on the campus of Highland Hills Village, 1660 Jennings Mill Road, Watkinsville.

The expansion – funded entirely by generous community donations and proceeds from St. Mary's Auxiliary Thrift Store – will enhance the facility's kitchen and dining area; improve the home's 12 patient rooms and nurses' station; add a conference room, office space, break room and restrooms; and improve parking and access for delivery vehicles.

"The bottom line is, we will be making St. Mary's Hospice House an even better place for patients nearing the end of life and for their families," said Jeff English, St. Mary's vice president human resources and support services and president of St. Mary's Sacred Heart Hospital.

English praised the generosity of thousands of people who made the expansion possible through their donations to hospice and St. Mary's Foundation.

"I want to give special thanks to St. Mary's Auxiliary for their labors of love through St. Mary's Thrift Store, Love Lights, and many other fundraisers and projects," English said. "Also essential to providing funding for this project have been the St. Mary's Golf Tournament, employee contributions, community donations to our Foundation, and, most meaningfully, memorial donations from the families of our patients."

Construction will begin immediately and is expected to be complete in nine to 10 months. The architect for the project is JMD Architects, and general contractor is Zirkelbach Construction.

Karen Joyce, director of St. Mary's Home Health Care/Hospice Services, reminded the group of more than 50 supporters that the hospice house is a unique facility in the Athens area.

"We provide compassionate end-of-life care and respite care in a free-standing facility that is as home-like as we can make it," she said. "We are privileged to be part of a sacred time in the lives of our patients and their families. Whatever your role is, from nursing to environmental services to volunteering, being a hospice provider is special and rewarding. This hospice house is an important part of St. Mary's health care ministry."