Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care

11/03/2025

November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month—a time to honor the compassionate care that helps patients and families live life fully, even in the face of serious illness.

At Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care, we’re grateful for our incredible team of clinicians, caregivers, and volunteers who bring comfort, dignity, and peace to those we serve.

During National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, we encourage you to learn more about these vital services. Whether you are a healthcare professional, a caregiver, or simply someone who wants to understand how hospice and palliative care can help, now is the perfect time to explore how these programs bring comfort and hope to so many.

Together, we can help ensure that everyone facing serious illness receives the care, comfort, and respect they deserve—this month and every month.

11/02/2025

On this All Souls Day Sunday as we remember departed loved ones, we invite you to join us at two free community events. Day 2 of Dia de Mu***os at Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College is 1230-430 pm and features music, food, hands-on art activities and more. Join us there at the Community Ofrenda. At 3 pm, we're proud to sponsor Soli deo Gloria Choir's Concert of Remembrance, featuring sacred and popular choral songs in a one-hour performance at First Lutheran Church, 1515 N Cascade Ave.

10/27/2025

Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care is proud to welcome Dr. Melanie Stickrath as our new Medical Director!

With nearly 20 years of experience in internal medicine and palliative care, Dr. Stickrath brings deep expertise and compassion to her new role. She previously served with Colorado Permanente Medical Group, where she founded and led the Supportive Care Clinic in Colorado Springs, and has been recognized among the city’s “Best Doctors” in Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

Dr. Stickrath shares, “Hospice and palliative medicine allow me to walk alongside patients and families during some of the most meaningful moments of their lives. I feel honored to be part of a team dedicated not only to excellent medical care, but also to listening, supporting, and providing comfort when it matters most.”

As Medical Director, Dr. Stickrath leads our hospice and palliative medicine providers and interdisciplinary care teams to ensure every patient receives comfort, dignity, and peace.

We’re deeply grateful to our community for helping make it possible to attract dedicated and compassionate physicians like Dr. Stickrath.

10/22/2025

Join us on November 2 for The Concert of Remembrance, a special All Souls Day performance featuring the inspiring voices of the Soli deo Gloria Choir at First Lutheran Church.

Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care is honored to be the presenting sponsor for this meaningful event.

Enjoy an uplifting one-hour program filled with both beloved and new melodies. Admission is free, but seating is limited. Reserve your spot today at solichoir.org/events

10/14/2025

Celebrate Día de los Mu***os at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College — a beautiful tribute of remembrance, love, and respect for those who have gone before us.

Join us for two days filled with music, dance, art activities, food, and more!

Pikes Peak Hospice is honored to partner with the FAC as this year’s Community Ofrenda Sponsor. Ofrendas (offerings) are altars created to honor loved ones who have passed, traditionally decorated with photos, flowers, food, and candles.

You’re invited to bring these elements—or anything that celebrates someone special in your life. A digital printer will be available for anyone who’d like to print a photo onsite.

The event is free, but RSVPs are encouraged!

Learn more at fac.coloradocollege.edu/events/dia-de-muertos/

10/08/2025

Remember a loved one this holiday season.

Join us for the 41st Annual Trees of Life Celebration — Saturday, Nov. 15 at 4:30 p.m. on the south side of the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum.

This heartwarming event features inspirational music and remarks, warm beverages, and the reading of loved ones’ names, culminating in the beautiful lighting of the trees.

Honor someone special by purchasing a commemorative Trees of Life ornament — from symbolic paper ornaments to personalized glass keepsakes. Your gift supports the vital work of Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care.

Learn more or order your ornament: pikespeakhospice.org/trees-of-life/

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Tommy's Express Car Wash - Garden of the Gods Road.

10/03/2025

We had some visitors to the garden at our Inpatient Care Center today. How fortunate we are to call Colorado home!

10/02/2025

They call themselves the “Moldy Oldies,” but there’s nothing moldy about this wonderful group of former Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care employees and volunteers!

In mid-September, about 25 of these dedicated friends gathered at our headquarters for lunch, stories, and updates from President Dawn Darvalics—plus a tour of our new Inpatient Care Center. Many served for 20+ years, some starting back in 1980 as part of our very first volunteer class before becoming nurses.

They laughed about landlines, pagers, and hand-drawn maps, and they remembered Samantha the cat, who once comforted patients in their final hours. But most of all, they celebrated the lifelong friendships and deep love of hospice work that still binds them today.

We are so grateful to this extraordinary group for decades of compassion and care given to patients and families in our community.

09/16/2025

This short video gives you a closer look inside our new Inpatient Care Center—a space built with love, intention, and our patients at the heart of every detail.

From peaceful gardens to warm gathering areas and private patient suites, the ICC was created to bring comfort, calm, and connection during some of life’s most meaningful moments. It’s the only dedicated hospice inpatient center in Colorado Springs—and it’s here to serve families with dignity, grace, and expert care.

Thank you to every donor, partner, and friend who helped make this dream a reality. We are beyond grateful.

09/11/2025

Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care’s second annual Multifaith Forum on End-of-Life Care, held in July, featured a panel of respected local leaders representing Protestantism, Catholicism, Islam, and Judaism. Together, they explored how their traditions approach care, customs, and rituals at the end of life. Through meaningful dialogue, the panel shared both shared values and unique perspectives, offering insights for individuals, families, and professionals seeking to understand the role of spirituality in end-of-life journeys. This forum is part of Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care’s ongoing commitment to compassionate, holistic care, and to fostering education and collaboration across our community.

Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care’s second annual Multifaith Forum on End-of-Life Care featured a panel of respected local leaders representing Protestant...

09/09/2025

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Melanie Stickrath to the Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care team. Dr. Stickrath joins us as a hospice physician and will work with our home hospice team, care for patients in our inpatient care center, and see patients for palliative care needs. With years of experience in internal medicine and palliative care, she is deeply committed to supporting patients and families facing serious illness.

“Hospice and palliative medicine allow me to walk alongside patients and families during some of the most meaningful moments of their lives,” said Dr. Stickrath. “I feel honored to be part of a team that is dedicated not only to excellent medical care, but also to listening, supporting, and providing comfort when it matters most.”

09/08/2025

Here’s a heartwarming story from Sonya Bergeron, our Veteran Liaison at Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care.

Last week, Sonya had just given out her final red, white, and blue blanket when she received a call from Sharon Schrank, a new donor. Sharon had learned through the Fountain Valley Senior Center that we were in need of blankets. Without hesitation, she jumped in to help and created beautiful handmade blankets for our veterans.

These blankets are more than just gifts. They are symbols of gratitude for those who served our country and a reminder that their community is embracing them with a hug of honor and appreciation.

Thank you, Sharon, for your generosity and for helping us honor our veterans in such a meaningful way.