Blog

Finding Peace

By Angela Ross, KCH Content Specialist 
Published: March 29, 2022

Finding a peaceful moment each day can be difficult, especially when your life is busy with so many obligations like work, school, children or extracurricular activities for yourself or others. Peace is not something easily found in my home of two small children who constantly require my attention and assistance for everything they need. Some days there is no peace, but each day I strive to find time to have a moment to do an activity that helps bring me tranquility such as saying a small prayer, reading a short inspirational article, or taking a warm relaxing bath at the end of the day. Finding these small peaceful moments helps me regroup and feel rejuvenated to keep going. 

Scott and Kelly Tuder with their son Nathan Tuder.

If finding peace on a daily basis is a challenge, I can only imagine trying to find peace in the midst of a storm, like during the loss of a loved one. As a newer employee of Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care (KCH) it was an honor to be able to sit in on an interview and listen to a family’s story who was served by our Carousel Pediatric Hospice team.  

Scott and Kelly Tuder’s 11-year-old son, Nathan Tuder, was diagnosed with Stage 4 High-Risk Neuroblastoma in 2016 and spent five years fighting this disease. In 2021, when he experienced his fifth relapse, his family knew it was time to stop treatment and made the difficult decision to move to hospice care. As Nathan’s mom, Kelly, uttered those words that “it was time for hospice care” she teared up at the thought that it was even an option for her young son. Their new mission was to allow Nathan to live his life to the fullest, and their doctor referred them to the Carousel Pediatric Hospice team at KCH.

Nathan was described by his doctor’s as having “enough personality to need a YouTube channel!” I thought about how much of a pleasure it would have been to meet someone with such a big personality. Now, just photos and videos help those who loved him remember who he was and ponder about who he never got the chance to be.

Nathan enjoys his Prom with his KCH nurses, family and friends.

During our interview with the Tuder family they talked about the incredible care they received from the KCH Carousel Pediatric team and how the nurses quickly built relationships with their family and treated Nathan with so much care and concern, as if he was their own child. “It felt like Carousel was our guardian angel for the six months he was on services,” Kelly stated, “It really meant a lot to us to have their support and to have somebody I could call at any time, no matter how big or small the question.” Carousel Pediatric assisted their family in making Nathan’s wish come true – to pass away at home. Before Nathan died on August 11, 2021, two of his final wishes were granted – to have a Prom and a Wedding – which he participated in with his family, and our team of nurses, surrounding him in support on his big day. 

The Tuder family found peace and comfort through our Carousel Pediatric Hospice program which offered them the opportunity to spend as much time with Nathan as possible; allowing him to spend his final days at home as he wished. The Tuder family has made an indelible impression on the Carousel team, and it’s clear the family feels just as grateful. A gift to Kansas City Hospice’s Carousel Pediatric program ensures this specialized care is accessible to all who need it, regardless of their resources, and that we are able to give families, like the Tuders, opportunities to find peace and hope at the end of their lives and the lives of their loved ones.


One Comment on “Finding Peace”

  1. Alex Says:

    Angela, your article beautifully emphasizes the importance of finding peace in our daily lives. The story of the Tuder family is incredibly touching, and it reminds us of the significance of cherishing our loved ones. Thank you for sharing such a heartfelt piece.

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Our Programs

Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care provides comprehensive, expert care for all ages at all stages of serious illness.

Hospice Care

When the focus shifts to comfort instead of treatment, care comes to your home or nursing facility with a plan tailored to your needs, including emotional and spiritual support for the whole family.

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Hospice Care

Palliative Medicine Fellowship

Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care is the community clinical site for the University of Kansas Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship. We're committed to developing physicians with specialty-level training in caring for patients with serious or terminal illness.

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Palliative Medicine Fellowship

Community-Based Palliative Care

Beginning as early as diagnosis and at any stage of serious illness, our nurse practitioners make home visits as needed to help coordinate your care and provide expert pain and symptom management.

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Community-Based Palliative Care
Hospice House

Hospice House

When symptoms cannot be easily managed at home, two hospice houses provide 24/7 expert care in comfortable home-line settings where family members can be relieved of caregiving duties to focus on loved ones.

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Carousel Pediatric Care

Carousel provides palliative and hospice care for perinatal and for babies through young adults with a dedicated team of pediatric nurses, social workers, chaplains and other specialists.

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Carousel Pediatric Care
Solace House

Solace House

Our center for grief and healing supports individuals and families who have been impacted by the death of a loved one, whether anticipated, or sudden and unexpected. We provide opportunities to share, listen, learn and heal with peer group support from age 3 through adult.

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