A-LISTS community spotlight by jared cox Wells House Hospice Program’s highly trained interdisciplinary treatment team


provides compassionate palliative treatment and end-of-life care to patients without regard to diagnosis. A critical part of caring for a terminally ill patient is providing emo- tional and spiritual support for the patient’s family and friends. Care can be provided in the patient’s home, in acute hospitals, in skilled nursing facilities or in Wells House free-standing hospice facilities in Long Beach and Stanton. Ken Lawrence is one local Long Beach resident who has been proactive in providing


KEN LAWRENCE


A PASSION FOR CARING


OF THE WELLS HOUSE HOSPICE OF LONG BEACH


Recently, we celebrated the holidays and the end of 2010. Many of us spent time


gathering with family, friends and others near and dear to us. Often times, we find ourselves taking for granted our personal connections with those around us. There are, however, those not as fortunate. Life in solitude is the saddest thing. Life is not meant to be spent alone behind closed


doors. The beauty of life can only be seen in the wonderful harmony of intertwined relationships. We will all cross through the door called death. Passing away alone, away from those we love and who love us is probably the saddest of all sadness. The hard reality is that some do not have family and close friends to guide them and comfort them through life’s final chapter. Thanks to the caring staff of Wells House Hospice of Long Beach, this journey, for some, is taken with the caring support of volunteers by their side in the comfort of their own familiar surroundings. No one wants to die in pain, alone in an impersonal surrounding, hooked up by tubes


to machines, cut off from their family, friends and everything that’s familiar. We prefer to spend our last days alert, free from pain, and among the people and things we love. Wells House Hospice is dedicated to making this possible by providing compassion-


ate care to terminally ill patients and their families and providing end-of-life education and training for health care teams and the community. Regardless of age, diagnosis, or condition, Wells House Hospice treats physical and emotional needs and assists family members to make the patient’s remaining life as comfortable as possible. This special care program, open to all terminally ill persons, can take place in a home, a skilled nursing facility, or in our home-like hospice.


hospice care to those in need, including our local LGBT community, in the Long Beach/ Orange County area with Wells House Hospice. At the age of 16, Ken Lawrence moved to New York from his island home of Jamaica then moved to California a year later. He has always maintained an attitude of success and solid work ethic from the time that he was a young child in Jamaica. At the age of 14 he was very involved in church and even founded his own dance troupe called M.A.D for Christ (Male Anointed Dancers for Christ). He continued his passion for dance at other churches in New York as well as California. It was through this avenue that he had his first taste of stardom, when he worked for famed actress Dyan Cannon at GPDC & You (God’s Property with Dyan Canon and You). After moving to Long Beach, he also worked for clothier Papis & Chicas, now known as Hilo Clothing. Ken also gained professional experience with companies such as Color Me Beautiful by Iman and Sara Paul Productions. Ken’s passion now lies in the mission of Wells House Hospice that specializes in the palliative care of individuals who are approaching the end of Life. Wells House Hospice is Southern California’s only freestanding hospice facility. After


operating for 10 years from a single location at the corner of Cherry and Broadway in Long Beach, a second location in the city of Orange was opened. Ken now has 5 years of personal experience working with terminally ill clients with a myriad of disease pro- cesses. He is the Activity Director and Volunteer Coordinator for Wells House Hospice. He has developed a special passion for the care of HIV/AIDS patients, particularly for those in the minority community. He feels that this segment of the population is the most misinformed, under-educated and under-served individuals when it comes to the HIV/AIDS disease process. Wells House Hospice cares for clients who are normally unable to afford hospice care. They not only administer medication and provide a bed; the foundation also provides alternative therapies such as aroma, pet, art and music therapy. This is the area of the hospice program that Ken has recently directed his focus. Boombastic Productions is Ken’s baby. Ken founded Boombastic Productions as a


way to create and promote endeavors that provide funding for alternative therapies needed at facilities like Wells House Hospice. Additionally, Ken wanted to create an avenue to educate minorities about health and fitness, lifestyles, volunteerism and spirituality. Ken recently launched a social networking program called Y.E.S.S. – Young Educated Sexy & Successful to support professionalism and education within the LGBT minority community. Ken lost his mother two years ago and his dad a few months ago. He attributes his ongoing personal growth to mentors and advisors such as Ronald Morgan, Adminis- trator of Wells House Hospice, Paul Jones, Entertainment, Sporting & Special Events Consulting, Thornell Jones of Fortress Marketing, and the Reverend Dr. Jane Galloway from Mandala Center for Conscious Living. Beginning January 2, 2011 and every Saturday thereafter, Ken will host “Dark


Knights” – a weekly Urban Nights Social, and on January 3, 2011 and every Sunday thereafter, a T-Party/Sunday Brunch. Both events will be housed at Octave Lounge, otherwise know as Paradise Piano Bar in Long Beach. On February 7, Ken will be hosting an Art Showcase benefiting Wells House Hospice at Hot Java in Long Beach. Proceeds from the show will go toward Wells House. Wells House Hospice is in need of activity items such as board games, cards and arts and craft items. Items may be dropped off Saturdays at Paradise Piano Bar.


For more information on how you can get involved with Wells House Hospice, contact Ken Lawrence at 562.435.9363 (office) 562.234.2238 (cell) or e-mail at ken@rufftek.com. For more information on Wells House Hospice and how you can get involved, please visit them online at wellshousehospice.com.


14


RAGE monthly | JANUARY 2011


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