Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono dedicated its new healing garden at the Monroe County Hospice on Thursday.

“With managing patients’ symptoms, our staff goes above and beyond to heal, comfort and care for patients during one’s painful times. The healing garden is one place that they will have a peaceful, relaxing space during their time,” said Elizabeth Wise, president of LVH-Pocono.

The healing garden was to created to provide a beautiful, tranquil setting for both hospice patients and their loved ones, she said, and added, “It is a place where they can retreat to simply take in the scenery.”

“This is truly my pleasure, and I commend you for your commitment. I want to thank you all for being here. We were talking right before the event also about respite care,” said state Rep. Rosemary Brown to the staff at the hospice.

Brown addressed the need for family members who are going through difficult times when trying to keep their loved ones.

Michelle Bisbing, director of marketing for the Pocono Mountains Economic Development Corporation, told her story of her father who was placed at hospice house 11 years ago.

He only lived one day in the hospice house, but because of the wonderful people who took such good care of her father, Bisbing said, “No one is happier than I to see it reopen.”

The Hospice House ceased hospice services in March of 2018, with Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono citing a need to improve operational efficiency as the reason for closing the doors. Following the closure, the advisory committee began researching supplemental funding to support long-term operations.

After many community members joined forces to raise funds, it was successfully reopened the next year.