Cypress Basin Hospice provides free, quality care to those in need

Cypress Basin Hospice is a hospice care facility that provides a much-needed service to the community, that being care for patients coming towards the end of their lives. Cypress Basin is located in Mount Pleasant, with locations also situated in Sulphur Springs in Paris. Cypress Basin has provided care for 16 counties in the Northeast Texas area, completely free of charge, for 35 years.

Hospice care describes the type of care needed for patients who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and has an estimated life expectancy of six months or less. Niki Huffman, director of community relations and development for Cypress Basin, said that hospice care is, “more than just about death, it’s more about living.”

One of the organization’s main objectives is to educate the community and make sure patients know sooner rather than later that hospice care is available to them at no cost. The organization works with physicians and patients to ensure that patients get hospice treatment as soon as the patient wants it. Huffman described how the organization wants to be with a patient early on so that they may live their life “in whatever way is normal to them.”

Cypress Basin sets itself apart from other Hospice care facilities in the area by offering their care completely free. Hospice care is covered under Medicare and Medicaid insurance plans, and community funding allows Cypress Basin to offer those without insurance the care they need even if they cannot pay. Cypress Basin also offers dynamic care to fit the needs of the individual patient. For instance, chaplains are available to those that need spiritual guidance, as well as licensed social workers, or simply volunteers to come and sit with your loved one in times of need.

Cypress Basin operates Cypress Basin Thrift Stores, which offers used clothing and household items and more. Donations are always welcome and proceeds from the thrift stores go toward keeping their hospice care free of charge for the community.

Cypress Basin also hosts Camp Braveheart, a twoday camp for children grieving the loss of a loved one. Staffed by trained chaplains and social workers, this bereavement camp teaches children how to identify and deal with the complex emotions involved in loss in a healthy and controlled way. When discussing why the organization wanted to start Camp Braveheart in the community, Huffman said, “It’s simple; healthy kids create healthy communities.”

Cypress Basin tries to keep its community roots at all levels. They were started in Mount Pleasant by community members who saw a need for care, and are led today by community members trying to preserve that legacy. Cypress Basin continues to be a part of the community to this day, holding community events for awareness and fundraising, such as a golf tournament and hosting a community barbecue. 100% of proceeds from these community events go towards allowing Cypress Basin to provide services. Huffman said that the organization is open to partnerships within the community and open to ideas about further ways of engaging the community.

Employees at Cypress Basin have said how they feel like their line of work feels more like a higher calling. They talked about how even though there are many non-profit organizations in the area, all-encompassing the same general area, that each has their own specialty and that none of them compete with each other. Huffman described it as, “something higher than all of us. It feels like we’re all just walking each other home.”

With the effects of COVID-19 still lingering around, non-profit organizations like Cypress Basin have been forced to close their doors. Long term plans have had to change too, “We’re mostly just trying to make it through. You know, keep our doors open for the next five, 10, 35 years or however long,” said Huffman, “We want to continue to be able to keep our organization a non-profit and keep our care free.” Cypress Basin was able to stay afloat during COVID-19 thanks to generous donations from the community and hopes to be back to normal operations by 2022.

Cypress Basin wants to serve the community the best it can by providing free and quality care and support for those that need it. The organization says that the best way to support it was to donate, whether that be monetarily, or by donating items to one of the Cypress Basin Thrift Stores in the area, or by donating your time by volunteering to help with events or fundraising.