The 15th annual “Light Up A Life” celebration for Jackson County Memorial Hospital Hospice will be held Monday, Dec 7. The event begins outside the main entrance of the hospital with the lighting of the Dr. Malcolm Mollison Memorial Hospice holiday tree at 6:30 p.m. and continuing at the Best Western at 7 p.m. with the Ceremony of Remembrance.

Altus physician, Dr. Joe Leverett, will open the evening at the tree lighting ceremony and the Rev. Dave Player of the First United Methodist Church in Altus will be the featured speaker at the Ceremony of Remembrance.

During the Ceremony of Remembrance, a candle is lit as each honoree’s name is read aloud. Names are included in the “Book of Lights” that is displayed in the JCMH lobby throughout the year.

St. John’s Baptist Church choir will perform the evening’s special music.

David Desmond Player is the baby of six children, born in Primrose, South Africa. He attended Durban High School in South Africa where he graduated in 1978. Conscripted into the Army, he served his country honorably in the South African Defense Force for three years, seeing 6 months of active duty in Namibia and Angola. He worked in sales and management for NCR Corporation and studied at night towards a BA in Religion. David married Cindy Marion in September of 1984. In 1989, Cindy and David answered God’s calling to enter the ordained ministry. They sold all their possessions, said a sad farewell to their family and friends and moved to the USA in January 1991.

Pastor Player is deeply devoted to Christ, the United Methodist Church, to world evangelism, and to his family. He is active in community service and has dedicated his life to working with Christians of all denominations. He is also active in service clubs like Rotary, Ministerial Alliances, Free Health Clinics, and the JCMH Hospice Advisory Board.

The tradition of the Hospice holiday tree and the Light Up A Life celebration began in 1995 in memory of long-time Altus physician Dr. Malcolm Mollison. Donations are made to JCMH Hospice in memory and in honor of loved ones. Many loved-ones have died during the year and the Light Up A Life celebration adds to their memory and can be an important part of the survivors’ healing process.

Hospice care allows patients who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness to receive medical care, including pain management, in their own home. The comfort and familiarity that comes from remaining in the patient’s home environment is part of the Hospice concept.

Hospice includes the entire family in the medical and spiritual treatment it provides to the terminally ill patient. Jackson County Hospital Hospice serves patients in Jackson County as well as patients in Tillman, Kiowa, Greer and Harmon counties. JCMH Hospice is the original not-for-profit Hospice in the area and through the donations it receives, cares for patients who are unable to pay for hospice services.

For information about the JCMH Hospice Light Up A Life celebration on Dec. 7 or to receive information about JCMH Hospice, call (580) 481-2320. JCMH Hospice is located at 1204 E. Tamarack Road in Altus. Donations to JCMH Hospice are tax deductible and are accepted throughout the year.