Stories by BB Reporter on BB Reporter

When Robert Vaughan, a VITAS patient and US Marine veteran of the Vietnam War, approached the end of his life, he and his wife Victoria faced challenges attending Veterans Affairs (VA) appointments due to mobility issues. Victoria, who uses a wheelchair, was caring for Robert but needed assistance with VA entitlement paperwork to secure benefits before his passing.

When Nicholas Black, a 16-year-old hospice patient with VITAS in Volusia County, Florida, expressed his wish to attend a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) match in Tampa, his care team fulfilled it. Nicholas was diagnosed with Arnold-Chiari Malformation without spina bifida or hydrocephalus, conditions that left him wheelchair-bound and unable to speak or use his hands and arms. Despite these challenges, wrestling remained his favorite pastime.

On a recent Sunday afternoon, 265 family members gathered at the DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton, Illinois, to release butterflies in memory of their loved ones. The event was organized by VITAS team members from northwest Chicago, including music therapists, social workers, bereavement specialists, volunteers, chaplains, hospice team managers, and executives.

The Bradley Utilities Department has provided a guide for accessing utilities accounts online. The process can be completed through the billing portal by selecting "Utility Billing Payments" on the left-hand side of the screen.