In February 2014 when Kevin Bezon began receiving home hospice care from Baptist Trinity Home Care & Hospice, he and his father, Ron, didn’t understand how much of an impact they would have on the lives of the Baptist Trinity volunteers who help care for Kevin. A native of Ohio, Kevin was diagnosed with medulloblastoma as an infant. These recurrent brain tumors have plagued Kevin for all his 29 years of life, but they never damaged his generous heart.
In the past few years, Kevin has given selflessly to those around him and those who have helped him.
“He has always been giving,” said Ron, “He was an avid golfer in the Special Olympics and gave a set of brand new golf clubs he once received as a gift to one of his caretakers who also liked golf. He said to me, ‘Dad, I like my old clubs. Do you think it would be OK if I gave the new ones away?” I said ‘Yes son.'”
It is this selflessness that the nurses and volunteers at the hospice house value most. 
“You can”t know him without it changing you,” said hospice nurse Julie McLarty. She loves seeing Kevin’s Elvis posters, model cars and old pictures of when he would go to nursing homes, dressed as Elvis, to entertain the residents. Kevin has two brain tumors, has stopped treatment and is bed bound now. He relies completely on the companionship from his dedicated father and the volunteers who start his days with love.
Kathy Regenwether, a plant manager and hospice volunteer, is up and at Kevin’s side by 5 a.m., caring for him if he wakes and making sure he is as comfortable as possible. She values the time she gets to sit with him and talk about all the things he loves.
“I love volunteering at hospice. I always get more out of it than I give,” said Kathy.
Hospice volunteering makes her slow down and reevaluate what is truly important in life. It’s her break from the long hours she spends at the plant.
For Julie Duncan, the chance to work with Kevin and Ron was unique. She had not worked in inpatient care before, but an email she got from Sandra Livesay, Baptist Trinity’s hospice volunteer coordinator, touched her.
“I felt something intrinsic after I got that email. Like it was something I was called to do,” said Julie.
She treasures her time with Kevin even though most times he is asleep.
“The more time he spends sleeping while I am there is more time he is awake with his father, and that’s my gift to him,” said Julie.
“The volunteers are a God-send,” said Ron.
Kathy and Julie, along with four other volunteers ‒ David Walters, Karen Burriss, Tina Hernandez and Mike Ellis ‒ wake up at 4 a.m. so they can arrive at Kevin’s house by 5 a.m. every Monday through Saturday to care for Kevin for two hours. During that time, Ron serves breakfast to the homeless at a soup kitchen. He is comforted by the compassion he feels from the volunteers.
“I really appreciate the volunteers. They are the only interaction Kevin has with the outside world, and it’s really important to him to have that time with others,” said Ron.
Baptist Trinity is hosting a volunteer training class on Saturday, Sept. 27 from 8:30 am-4:30 pm. For more information, contact Sandra Livesay at 901-767-6767.