Presenters: Melissa Basgall, KCH Director of Volunteer Services and Bonnie Krause, KCH Volunteer Coordinator

Melissa Basgall,
KCH Director of Volunteer Services

Melissa Basgall has been with Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care for 14 years and serves as Director of Volunteer Services. With a profound commitment to enhancing the lives of seriously ill patients and their families, Melissa has dedicated her career to creating supportive and comforting environments through the power of volunteerism. Melissa’s journey in hospice care began with her personal experiences as a long-term-care hospice volunteer in her teen years. Witnessing the transformative impact of human connection through that experience sparked a deep sense of gratitude and a calling to contribute to this vital area of healthcare. Melissa has over a decade of experience in hospice volunteer management, is a Certified Volunteer Administrator, and continues to pursue professional development opportunities to stay at the forefront of the hospice volunteer field. She believes in the power of human connection and the ability of volunteers to create moments of joy, comfort, and dignity for patients and their families during life’s most difficult times.

Bonnie Krause, KCH Volunteer Coordinator

Bonnie Krause first came to hospice as a marketer for Saint Luke’s Hospice in 2005, marketing home care, home infusion and hospice. It became very apparent that she was called to do hospice. She became a hospice volunteer and it changed her life. She decided to get into Volunteer Management in 2009 and has not looked back. She currently serves on the Missouri Hospice and Palliative Care Association (MHPCA) Volunteer Coordinator committee since 2009 and has been doing annual education in Jefferson City for core curriculum training for volunteer coordinators. She also serves on the Kansas City Regional Home Care Association (KCRHCA). Currently she is the Volunteer Coordinator for NorthCare Hospice House.

In addition to managing the volunteers at the NorthCare Hospice House, she oversees the Compassionate Presence program assigning volunteers sitting with the dying in the facilities that are initiated by the patient care manager. Bonnie also operates behind the scenes, organizing volunteer efforts, and works tirelessly to bring in new volunteers and retain loyal ones.