OUR HISTORY
From the very beginning, our story at Mesilla Valley Hospice & Palliative Care has been one of incredible community support and generosity.
It all began in November 1980 when a group of passionate individuals, including Dr. Terry Meyer, Irene Franco, RN, Esther Sherrod, RN, Lila Roberts, and Don Combs, came together to explore the hospice concept. They saw a pressing need for a more compassionate approach to end-of-life care. With support from Don Beasley and Stephen Hubert in handling finances and legal matters, adding Emma Jean Cervantes to the board, and with Wanda Bullock, RN, volunteering her time, Mesilla Valley Hospice was born. We became a non-profit organization in 1982 and a year later, we were accepted into the United Way program which as a key milestone in our early days. In 1984, we earned Medicare certification.
Growing to Meet
Community Needs
It started with donated furniture and items that helped us set up our initial offices, along with a Venture in Mission grant from St. Andrews Episcopal Church that established us as a viable hospice program. In our first ten years, we experienced steady growth and quickly recognized a need for a dedicated hospice facility for patients without caregivers at home. Our board of directors tirelessly pursued this vision, and in 1992, we received a transformative gift from Drs. Duarte, Fleming, and Pucelik and their families—a donation of five acres of land and an office building. This sparked our “Much More Can Be Done” capital campaign, where our amazing community raised over $1.3 million. As a result, La Posada, the first freestanding residential hospice house in New Mexico, opened in 1998. Today, it remains the only facility of its kind in the state.
Growing to Meet
Community Needs
It started with donated furniture and items that helped us set up our initial offices, along with a Venture in Mission grant from St. Andrews Episcopal Church that established us as a viable hospice program. In our first ten years, we experienced steady growth and quickly recognized a need for a dedicated hospice facility for patients without caregivers at home. Our board of directors tirelessly pursued this vision, and in 1992, we received a transformative gift from Drs. Duarte, Fleming, and Pucelik and their families—a donation of five acres of land and an office building. This sparked our “Much More Can Be Done” capital campaign, where our amazing community raised over $1.3 million. As a result, La Posada, the first freestanding residential hospice house in New Mexico, opened in 1998. Today, it remains the only facility of its kind in the state.
Expanding Our Services with the
Center for
Grief Services
In 1999, we expanded our reach by adding the Center for Grief Services, offering free grief support to anyone in our community who has experienced a loss—whether or not they were connected to a hospice patient. Our services include individual- and group-counseling sessions for both adults and children, available in English and Spanish. We also work closely with local schools to provide grief support to children identified as needing assistance.
Continuing to Grow with
Community Support
Our growth didn’t stop there. In 2003, we constructed a second wing for La Posada, thanks to another successful $1 million capital campaign. Drs. Duarte and Pucelik generously donated an additional acre of land adjacent to our facility, which became the foundation for our “Continuing the Dream” campaign launched in 2006. This campaign completed our original master plan, adding a third and fourth wing to La Posada, a home care center for our staff, and beautiful landscaping across our six-acre campus. With the community’s unwavering support, we raised over $6.3 million, completing construction in 2008 and opening the third wing to patients in 2009.
Recognizing the need to sustain our operations, the Mesilla Valley Hospice Foundation was formed in 2009 with the purpose of raising funds to support the goals and mission of Mesilla Valley Hospice & Palliative Care.
The Emporium was opened their doors in June 2015 to support the services of Mesilla Valley Hospice. The Emporium offers a wide selection of antiques and vintage items, generously donated by the community, in a one-of-a-kind retail store that’s open to the public. Shoppers find great values on an ever-changing selection of collectibles, gift items, and memorabilia.
Most recently, we have added Palliative Care Services to our facility, providing an additional and much-needed service to Las Cruces and Southern New Mexico. Palliative care focuses on the symptoms and stress of a patient’s disease and how to treat a wide range of issues that can include pain, depression, anxiety, fatigue, shortness of breath, constipation, nausea, loss of appetite and difficulty sleeping.
Continuing to Grow with
Community Support
Our growth didn’t stop there. In 2003, we constructed a second wing for La Posada, thanks to another successful $1 million capital campaign. Drs. Duarte and Pucelik generously donated an additional acre of land adjacent to our facility, which became the foundation for our “Continuing the Dream” campaign launched in 2006. This campaign completed our original master plan, adding a third and fourth wing to La Posada, a home care center for our staff, and beautiful landscaping across our six-acre campus. With the community’s unwavering support, we raised over $6.3 million, completing construction in 2008 and opening the third wing to patients in 2009.
Recognizing the need to sustain our operations, the Mesilla Valley Hospice Foundation was formed in 2009 with the purpose of raising funds to support the goals and mission of Mesilla Valley Hospice & Palliative Care.
The Emporium was opened their doors in June 2015 to support the services of Mesilla Valley Hospice. The Emporium offers a wide selection of antiques and vintage items, generously donated by the community, in a one-of-a-kind retail store that’s open to the public. Shoppers find great values on an ever-changing selection of collectibles, gift items, and memorabilia.
Most recently, we have added Palliative Care Services to our facility, providing an additional and much-needed service to Las Cruces and Southern New Mexico. Palliative care focuses on the symptoms and stress of a patient’s disease and how to treat a wide range of issues that can include pain, depression, anxiety, fatigue, shortness of breath, constipation, nausea, loss of appetite and difficulty sleeping.
Our Commitment to
Compassionate Care Continues
At Mesilla Valley Hospice & Palliative Care, we are deeply grateful for the incredible support from our community, which has been instrumental in our journey and success. We remain dedicated to providing compassionate care and grief support to all who need it, and we look forward to continuing to serve our community with the same passion and commitment that has guided us from the start. Thank you for being a part of our story!