TUCSON, Ariz. - A program at the Tucson Medical Center is aiming to brighten the lives of patients in hospice care.
What do #baseball cards and #hospice care have in common? A man named Jack Meyer. #ComingUp on @kgun9 how a local program has helped one man through a hard time. We’re live at 6a - Join Us! pic.twitter.com/BI8Wh5K3Xw
— Veronica Acosta (@VeronicacostaTV) July 9, 2019
The program, Dream Makers, started in August in 2018 and has since then granted wishes for several hospice patients.
Among those patients, Jack Meyer, a patient with terminal liver cancer.
Meyer was diagnosed with terminal cancer back in September of 2018 and has been out of work since then.
So, when Meyer's social worker came to him and asked how he was feeling and whether or not he wanted to take part in a special program, Meyer said he jumped at the chance.
"She was like, would you have any problems maybe going and spending some money? No. Would you want to go buy some baseball cards? Yeah!," said Meyer.
So he did just that. Through the dream makers program Meyer was able to buy an entire box of baseball cards, something he says has helped take his mind of his medical struggles, but the hobby isn't something he recently discovered, it's something he's been reunited with.
"I just got back in the hobby about six months ago, once i was diagnosed to give me something to do. I don't know what I was going through a store and saw some baseball cards and i don't think i'd seen a pack in 15 years," siad Meyer.
Before getting sick, Meyer said most of his life revolved around baseball. Not only did he play the sport when he was younger, but he's previously been a little league coach and had even met his wife while coaching.
Although, he can't coach or play baseball at the moment, Meyer said it's organizing and keeping busy through his baseball cards that lift his spirits most days.
The dream makers program is only for hospice patients within the Tucson Medical Center.
Wishes that are granted are typically smaller and easier to come by. Patients who've benefitted from the program have asked for lobster dinners and even family photoshoots.
A social worker typically refers a hospice patient into the program.
For more information on the dream makers program, click here.
