Friends and families come together to continue a woman’s mission after she passes away from cancer
ROANOKE, Va. – Before her passing Jaclyn Hostetter, wanted to raise money, and spread awareness to help nurses after domestic violence led to the deaths of four Rockbridge County healthcare workers.
“It makes you question things, and it makes you wonder what’s making us vulnerable to domestic violence,” said Hostetter in a previous story WDBJ7 reported before she died.
Hostetter’s friends say she believed nurses were trained to take abuse at work and because of that they thought it was okay. After her cancer diagnosis, she created a community fund.
“And when I leave there’s gonna be this fund here that’s gonna help these victims that’s gonna help spread awareness and we’re gonna make a difference,” said Community Foundation for Rockbridge, Bath, and Alleghany Executive Director Lori Turner.
Hostetter couldn’t start raising money before she lost her battle with cancer. Her friends and family have come together to create Jaclyn’s hope and complete her mission. Victim Witness Director Michele Clark met Hostetter after she walked into her office five years ago and said, ‘we need to make a difference.’
“And so Jaclyn’s hope is a mission to spread awareness, keep Jacky’s name alive her legacy alive,” said Clark.
Clark reads a letter Hostetter left her and says it inspires her to continue the legacy.
“Our end goal is to have this in hands of every nurse, every medical professional. To have other nights like paint night and relaxation nights for them,” added Clark. “So, that they can feel like they’re seen that they can feel like. And we do it in Jacky’s name and almost all of them knew her. So, they really appreciate that part about it.”
When asked what Hostetter’s hope was, her friend said,
“I think her hope was to save the next girl. She has saw some of her friends in healthcare world who had been victims of domestic violence that ultimately cost them their lives and she wanted to save someone else from being in the same situation,” explained Turner.
You can help them by buying a ticket for a Luxury Lakefront Condo raffle.
