Bob Willis, bereavement coordinator for Hospice of Oklahoma County Inc. and the INTEGRIS Hospice House, has developed a way to memorialize patients and provide comfort to families who have experienced the death of a loved one. Through a program called “MOMENTS … Cast in Stone,” hospice patients are given the opportunity to have their hands cast in stone.
An accomplished sculptor, Willis was inspired while working with families whose infants received care through Hospice of Oklahoma County. “We tend to measure life in terms of years, months, weeks, days … even hours,” he said. “In reality, we live moment to moment. Creating a mold of someone’s hands allows us to capture that moment, cast in stone.”
The one-of-a-kind castings in white stone become family treasures and heirlooms for future generations.
Willis already implemented his work for a current hospice patient, an avid rock climber well known in the rock climbing community. The cast of his hands, holding the knot in a climber’s rope, is set on a rock base as a lasting reminder for his family of his passion for climbing.
This unique and innovative service can provide comfort to those who want a tangible remembrance of a special person in their life. For more information about this service, call 405-848-8884.