TROY — Past and present staff members, volunteers and community members gathered on April 28 to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the founding of Ohio’s Hospice of Miami County.

The celebration was held at the Church of the Brethren in Troy, where the first planning meeting took place to form the not-for-profit hospice.

For the past 35 years, Ohio’s Hospice of Miami County has remained dedicated to its mission of improving the quality of life for people and families facing life-limiting illnesses.

“We have benefited from the passion and expertise of outstanding staff members whose contributions to our hospice mission can never be overstated,” said Heather Bolton, executive director of Ohio’s Hospice of Miami County. “We also are grateful to the numerous community members who value our work and support our mission.”

As Ohio’s Hospice of Miami County marks its 35th anniversary, it also is marking another step in realizing its goal of opening a freestanding hospice house on the campus of Upper Valley Medical Center. The $10 million, 12-bed inpatient hospice house is expected to open in 2020.

“This new facility reflects our commitment to respond to a growing community need for end-of-life care and the expansion of our services to include a full complement of care choices for patients and their families,” Bolton said. “As we celebrate our 35th anniversary, we are committed to ensuring that patients and their families continue to receive superior care and superior services for decades to come from Ohio’s Hospice of Miami County.”