Laura Coop, a Bluegrass Care Navigators (BCN) volunteer, makes the Bluegrass Hospice Care Center at St. Joseph Hospital in Lexington smell like home. Each week, she dons her apron and bakes cookies within the care center to deliver to patients, families and staff. Since volunteering with BCN in August, Coop has become the “cookie lady,” as she serves cookies with a smile.

“Certain smells just bring you comfort because it brings back memories,” Coop said. “It brings a little glimmer of happiness and hope because people are like ‘they’re still warm,’ and ‘you just baked these!’ To me, the Cookie Crew reflects the heart of the whole of BCN in that we are just trying to make life a little sweeter.”
 
Coop decided to give back after her parents’ experience with hospice a few years ago. As she delivers joy to others a couple of hours each week, she believes she receives the bigger benefit. One day, she delivered cookies to a man who had an obvious sweet tooth. She smiled, joked that he not spoil his lunch, and gave him two packs of cookies.
 
“I could just tell that it lifted his spirits to know that someone was there,” Coop said. “And that made me feel good, too.”
 
Coop says she always looks forward to cookie day and believes that this is a non-intimidating way to give back in a controlled, safe setting.
 
“The thought that anyone can give their time to anything, and they choose to give it to a patient and family at the end of life, it’s miraculous,” Jennifer Curtis, CVA, and the Volunteer and Community Liaison for the Bluegrass Hospice Care Centers in Lexington, said. “Most volunteers feel called to help others and by being the volunteer liaison, I help people fulfill that calling and give back.”

BCN piloted the Cookie Crew at the care center at St. Joseph and plans to offer this at the Bluegrass Hospice Care Center at UK Healthcare. Each care center offers patients, families and friends additional care in a homelike setting.



Volunteers are a vital part of the BCN team and come from varied backgrounds, bringing many rich, diverse experiences and talents that help in unexpected ways. BCN is always looking for more volunteers to fulfill a variety of needs with warmth and compassion. All volunteers receive training to prepare them to serve others. To learn more about volunteering and to sign up, visit bgcarenav.org/volunteer.