About Marie
Marie G. Solis was a fiercely independent, kind and dedicated woman. She was born on July 28, 1928 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and remained in the surrounding area throughout her lifetime.
Marie was a vibrant career woman and had many hobbies, including, bowling, theater, and traveling, just to name a few. She donated both her time and resources to a wide variety of charities whose missions embodied her own Catholic faith and dedication to the aged and infirm.
Through our foundation, Marie's generosity can continue beyond her lifetime.
Shortly after retiring from her career with Huff Paper, Marie experienced numerous health problems that caused her to be in and out of the hospital for several years. At one point she was told that she could not return home without twenty-four hour care.
Five months later, Marie was discharged from the hospital to hospice home care. Prior to being discharged, throughout the trying four years where Marie found herself in and out of the hospital only one doctor had spoken to her about the options offered by hospice care.
Hospice care finally gave her the peace she so desperately needed.
From the day Marie was told that she could not return home without twenty-four hour care to the moment of her passing she was accompanied by her caregiver, Joan Williams, who became a dear friend. It was later realized that hospice care could have begun for Marie much sooner than it had if she had been informed about her options.
For Marie, this realization that hospice was not an end of treatment, but a change of priorities led her to establish this foundation. While medical treatment focused on extending her life, regardless of how said treatment would affect the quality of her life, hospice treatment focused on providing her comfort so that she could happily live out the last stage in her life.
Having not understood this prior to receiving hospice care for herself, Marie hoped that this foundation would foster compassion and empathy toward patients and help alleviate suffering from chronic and terminal illnesses through the provision of hospice services and education on what hospice can offer.
Marie G. Solis passed peacefully at her home on May 16, 2012 surrounded by her friends and, of course, Joan.