Community

Empath Health Deepens Its Commitment to Veterans Through We Honor Veterans Partnership

LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. -- For veterans, the end of life is a time when service deserves to be honored and remembered. Ahead of Veterans Day, Empath Health is proud to announce its continued partnership with We Honor... Continue Reading

From Marine to Caregiver in the Community She Calls Home

Ashley Chambless didn't grow up dreaming of becoming a Marine. She wasn't following a family legacy or chasing a lifelong goal. As a high schooler in Haines City, she danced and played softball. After graduation,... Continue Reading

Building the Hospice Workforce Pipeline Starts in Middle School

By Anita Smith, Director of Nurse Residency & Academic PartnershipsThe Mobile Simulation Unit brings real‑world clinical learning to schools, giving students early exposure to healthcare careers.Most people don't... Continue Reading

Honoring Dr. Mary Jean Etten and the Vision That Shaped Suncoast Hospice

At Suncoast Hospice, our story has always been shaped by people whose vision stretches far beyond their time. As part of Empath Health, one of Florida's leading nonprofit healthcare organizations, we're grounded in a... Continue Reading

Celebrating Ashley Sard: Honored by the Florida Governor's Commission on the Status of Women

Ashley Sard, Community Partnership Specialist and U.S. Air Force veteran, honored as a 2025 Spirit of Community Award Winner. Empath Health is proud to celebrate our Community Partnership Specialist, Ashley Sard, who... Continue Reading

Stitch by Stitch, Two Volunteers Make a Difference

When Elke first came to volunteer training in Brandon, she was still grieving the loss of her husband, who had been in our care. She worried that she wasn't ready to sit with patients and families. But when she... Continue Reading

Volunteer Spotlight: Karin, The “Floral Volunteer”

Each week at the South County Service Center, Karin leans over a long table covered in stems and vases. With practiced care, she sorts through blooms—roses, carnations, daisies—donated by Trader Joe's. She snips,... Continue Reading

Mission Match: Connecting People to Purpose

At Empath Health, we know that culture isn't built in boardrooms—it's built in break rooms, during team huddles, over shared patient stories, and sometimes, even in Halloween costumes. That's the spirit behind... Continue Reading

World AIDS Day 2024 – Fox 13

In observance of World AIDS Day, Empath Partners in Care (EPIC), a member of Empath Health, hosted a memorial bell-tolling ceremony to honor and remember those we have lost. Fox 13 was on the scene for this emotional... Continue Reading

Holiday events help LGBTQ seniors in Tampa Bay combat loneliness – Tampa Bay Times

It can be hard to make friends later in life. For members of the LGBTQ community, who may face discrimination from their peers or might be navigating their sexual or gender identity for the first time, it can be... Continue Reading

Planning For Your Future

We plan for many things in life – vacations, retirement, major life events – yet many people are not prepared for the end of life. In fact, approximately 70% of Americans do not have an estate plan and for those that... Continue Reading

Start End-of-Life Discussions with Your Goals

Having end-of-life conversations with your family, loved ones and healthcare providers can be uncomfortable. You may feel like your physicians are giving up hope for a cure or imposing unwanted treatment or... Continue Reading