Reaching More Communities with Compassionate Care
By Bill Wertman, CEO, Big Bend Hospice
At Big Bend Hospice, our mission has always been clear: to provide compassionate, high-quality care to the people of the Big Bend, wherever they call home. That mission recently took an exciting new step forward with a ribbon-cutting celebration in Calhoun County, and soon, another in Jackson County. These milestones are more than ceremonial; they represent the deepening of our promise to bring hospice care closer to the communities that need it most.
When we gathered at the Magnolia Square Gazebo in Blountstown earlier this month, it was more than a celebration. It was a moment of welcome and witness. After four years of planning and preparation, our team joined with community members, hospital staff, and local leaders to mark the official arrival of Big Bend Hospice in Calhoun County.
We have long understood that families in more rural parts of our region face real barriers when it comes to accessing care: distance, limited resources, and a lack of local options often make hard moments even harder. With this expansion, we’re helping to change that. Our neighbors can now access hospice support without having to travel far from home. Families can stay connected, care can begin sooner, and the comfort we provide can feel even more personal.
As a nonprofit rooted in the Big Bend for over 40 years, we see this expansion not just as growth, but as stewardship. It’s a responsibility we carry with humility and gratitude: to serve those who have trusted us with some of life’s most intimate, complex, and sacred moments.
And we’re just getting started.
The ribbon cutting in Jackson County next week marks the next step in our expansion westward. We’re proud to now serve communities in Calhoun, Gulf, and Jackson counties, with others soon to follow. These expansions reflect our ongoing commitment to meet patients and families where they are, and we’re continuing that work with care, integrity, and deep community partnership.
To those who have welcomed us so warmly, thank you. To those we have yet to meet, we’re on our way. Because everyone deserves the dignity of hospice care, no matter their zip code. And that promise knows no boundaries.