By Renee Cribb, Staff Reporter
Hospice Care of South Carolina now has an office located in Kingstree at 131 North Academy Street.

Rebecca Bradford, Community Relations Director for Hospice Care of South Carolina, said hospice services have been available in Williamsburg County but service providers usually had to commute from Georgetown or Florence. Now that Hospice Care has an office location in Kingstree they can more easily work with local health care providers and volunteers.

Bradford said Hospice provides a wide array of services for anyone coping with an incurable disease, not always terminal. According to a brochure, Hospice Care “is staffed with a local interdisciplinary team of health care professionals who will provide symptom control, pain management, and emotional and spiritual support.”
Hospice Care is always seeking volunteers as well, to find out about volunteering call Hospice Care Volunteer Coordinator at 1-800-932-2738.

During the April 21 town council meeting, Mayor Ricky Burrows welcomed Hospice Care of South Carolina to Kingstree.

“People hear ‘hospice’ and think that means the end,” he said, “but that’s not always true, so many times when hospice comes in, people get better.”

Bradford said there is no “out-of-pocket” cost to patients. Hospice Care is covered by Medicaid, Medicare, or private insurance. No one is ever denied services because of inability to pay, she said.