GILCHRIST

GILCHRIST

Gilchrist Honored with Prestigious Circle of Life Award for Innovation in End-of-Life Care

July 17, 2025, Gilchrist Recognition

Gilchrist, Maryland’s leading nonprofit provider of serious illness and end-of-life care, has been named a recipient of the 2025 Circle of Life Award, presented by the American Hospital Association (AHA). The Circle of Life Award recognizes innovative programs that advance the delivery of palliative and end-of-life care, highlighting outstanding models to serve as inspiration for other providers nationwide. The awards will be formally presented July 20–22 at the AHA Leadership Summit in Nashville, TN.

“We are honored to receive the Circle of Life Award, which celebrates the dedication and compassion of our entire team,” said Cathy Hamel, President of Gilchrist. “This recognition reflects the impact of our mission—to provide expert care, comfort, and support for individuals and families navigating the challenges of serious illness and loss, and to meet the unique needs of the diverse community we are privileged to serve.”

The Circle of Life Award honors hospital and palliative care programs that are ensuring equitable access to care, implementing nontraditional care delivery and payment models, fully integrating palliative care into health systems or communities, making care financially sustainable, developing meaningful metrics to track progress, and building partnerships with payers, providers, community groups, and faith communities. Gilchrist’s selection underscores its commitment to improving quality of life and expanding access to comprehensive, person-centered care.

Major sponsors of the 2025 Circle of Life Award include the American Hospital Association and the Catholic Health Association. The awards are cosponsored by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, the Center to Advance Palliative Care, the Hospice & Palliative Nurses Association (along with the Hospice & Palliative Credentialing Center and the Hospice & Palliative Nurses Foundation), and the National Association of Social Workers.

About Gilchrist: Gilchrist serves more than 26,000 individuals annually across Maryland, offering a comprehensive range of services including geriatric, palliative, pediatric or adult hospice care as well as grief counseling and additional specialized therapeutic services for the patients, their family, and the community. As a nationally recognized leader, Gilchrist is committed to meeting the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of patients and families with compassion and excellence. For more information, visit gilchristcares.org