Karen Link & Darla Ubben
Karen Link was a Cedar Valley Hospice Nurse for 10 years (2000-2010) before she died in 2012 at the age of 42. She was a breast cancer survivor but succumbed to bone cancer 15 years later. That was also the first year of Release & Remember.
Since then, her family has donated a butterfly in Karen’s memory. In 2013, it then became a family tradition to attend the event together – decked out in their event T-shirts, of course.
Her sister, Tina Hinz, said Karen still has an impact on her in her daily life. “Karen was a natural caretaker with a great deal of compassion and generosity. She once told me that fighting cancer gave her a unique perspective—she’d look at her hospice patients with knowing eyes, but never volunteered that she was ‘battling the same crap’ they were. I feel her working through me as I find myself sending handwritten notes and care packages to those who need a pick-me-up.”
Darla Ubben, Tina’s aunt, also had an enthusiastic effect on people. When she died of cancer in 2017 at 46, the family expanded their dedications to honor her. The event is special to the family for so many reasons.
“Seeing their names listed at the Release & Remember Dedication Station always brings tears to my eyes,” adds Tina. “I am overwhelmed with strength and comfort in being surrounded by folks who also are healing from an emotional roller coaster. The event unifies us all as we celebrate those we’ll never forget, and recognizes how Cedar Valley Hospice walked with us through the journey of fear and suffering that often accompanies a terminal diagnosis.”
“Occasionally, a butterfly will land on one of our T-shirts and hang out awhile, delivering an unspoken peace in the idea that it’s a hello from above. The experience serves, too, as a special reminder that our loved ones are with us when we could use extra support.”
She continues: “As monarchs flutter around, I watch my niece and nephews chase after them. While they’re too young to have many, if any, memories with Karen or Darla, I hope that Release & Remember helps them realize how beautiful these two were, inside and out.”
Karen was also beloved by her Cedar Valley Hospice colleagues as well as the patients and families she cared for. She died at our Hospice Home, and a bench dedicated to her memory and marked with her name, sits in the corner of the garden for families to use.
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