January Town Hospice Hero

Jillian Garcia never thought she could handle the emotional toll of working in hospice care, but she believes it's what she’s meant to do. “Working with people at the end of their life is a remarkable thing,” explained Jillian. “We all come into this world and we are all are going to leave it at one point or another, and I get to be a part of these people’s journey, which is an honor.”

She starts her day like most of us – with a cup of coffee. Then, she checks her emails while listening to worship songs. As a registered nurse, she gives her all to help her patients feel as comfortable as possible. She also educates both the patient and their family on how to handle this period in their lives. 

Her favorite part of working at Islands Hospice is providing emotional support to people going through difficult times. One of her special memories working here was helping one of her patients go back to his hometown on Maui. The patient passed away less than a week later, but the patient’s daughter was so thankful to be able to see her father for the last time.

Jillian was born and raised in the Philippines and only recently moved to Hawaii four years ago with her family. This will be her 12th year working as a registered nurse. Before joining the Islands Hospice ohana, she worked at Leahi Hospital and Manoa Cottage Kaimuki.

Jillian recognizes that nothing in life is guaranteed, especially life itself. She believes working in hospice is “so rewarding,” but it also “takes courage, empathy and compassion.” She feels honored to be part of her patients’ journey in life.