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Sandra Mitchell, 68, had never heard of ALS before her diagnosis in 2023. After years of surgeries and other issues with no clear answers, she learned she had ALS. “I most likely had ALS for two years before I was diagnosed,” she says. She took the time to educate herself and reflect on what she needed to embrace her condition and get into the right headspace to navigate life.
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurological disorder that affects voluntary muscle movement.
Her journey included several surgeries and time in assisted living, where she felt unseen and unsupported. “I was fully aware of everything around me, but I couldn’t do anything about it,” she shares. Eventually, Sandra’s sister created a home space where she could receive care, but even then, her needs weren’t fully met. After a hospitalization for pneumonia, Sandra transferred to Compass’ Barnette Center in Centreville, Maryland. There, she found not just medical support, but compassion and peace.
“If I could give Compass 100 stars, I would,” she says. “Everything I’ve asked for has been done. I couldn’t be happier.”
Her social worker, Roya, helped ease the transition. “She was 100% right—Compass gave me peace and comfort,” Sandra says. Now nine months into hospice care, her family has seen her joy and personality return. “Before, I cried all the time. I was stressed. Now, I laugh again,” she says.
Sandra once believed hospice was only for the final days of life. Now she knows it’s about living fully. “I can see sunsets, go out with my family, and just feel loved.” Heather Guerieri, Compass CEO, affirms: “Hospice isn’t about dying. It’s about living to the fullest.”
