July 23, 2025
Donation Honors Hospice Nurses Who Answer 'Special Calling' at Kavanagh House
DES MOINES, IOWA -- EveryStep Kavanagh House has a new plaque hanging on the wall, a small reminder a big gift made in honor of a tremendous man and the exemplary care he and his family received.
“We are forever grateful for all the loving care that he received while he was here. It made a huge difference for him and for our entire family,” says Dr. Teri Wahlig, CEO of ChildServe. Teri’s father, Jack, entered hospice care in January; he passed away in March at the age of 92.
“Transitions can be challenging for families, but every staff member that we encountered throughout that transition and the time he was here was so loving and personable and truly cared,” Dr. Wahlig says, “That is such a relief for family members - when their loved one is in a situation where they need care - is to be surrounded by loving staff.”
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Dr. Wahlig says the EveryStep nurses and dedicated volunteers became more than just a care team in the weeks they spent at EveryStep Kavanagh House. “They would come in and deliver flowers, stop by and say ‘hi’. Some we knew so it was like connecting again with neighbors,” says Dr. Wahlig, “Everyone felt very familiar and became like family.” She says father and her family were on a first name basis with staff and volunteers – including a few nicknames coined by Jack – and the family and staff shared both laughs and hugs.
“There are eight kids in the family and every kid got to spend quality, meaningful care with Jack. That’s a special gift,” says Dr. Wahlig’s husband, Mark Feldmann, “It’s not something that was true in my family and so I knew it when I saw it how great of a gift that is.”
In memory of her father’s care, Dr. Wahlig and Mark decided to make a major gift to EveryStep hospice services. In recognition of their gift, the Nurses’ Station at EveryStep Kavanagh House is now named in their honor.
“We had such wonderful nursing care while we were here,” explains Dr. Wahlig, “My mom was a nurse and what a huge impact that had on so many of the children in the family. So, it just seemed natural to give back in this way and recognize the nurses who are at Kavanagh.”
“For me what is most meaningful,” Mark adds, “Teri is with ChildServe and, just like ChildServe, at Kavanagh when you open the door and you can just feel the mission. You can feel it.”
“Non-profits like EveryStep Kavanagh House are so important not just for the loving medical care that they provide but they are so important to our community,” Dr. Wahlig continues, “It’s a journey that we all take together and together we really are stronger and have an impact on the lives of those who need care.”
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Dr. Wahlig was especially touched by the work of her father’s nurses at Kavanagh House who went the extra mile to truly care for him. “One of our special nurses, Sandy, came to the funeral. She had a huge impact on our family and was there for some of the hard times and some of the happy times, but she was always there for us,” she says, “She would go above and beyond. She would come in on days she wasn’t working and set up the computer so Dad could listen to mass on the computer and that was very meaningful to him.”
She extends that praise to everyone working in hospice care. “I would say ‘thank you’ to those who choose this type of nursing care, this supportive care. It’s a special calling; those who receive your care are so grateful that you do it this way.
“It’s a ministry, I think, for many of the people who work here.”
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