Light Up a Life

Each holiday season, the Agrace Foundation invites our community to Light Up a Life with a gift made in memory of someone special. Your gift supports compassionate care for patients and families across Wisconsin—and adds a light to our seasonal memorial display at Agrace in Madison, representing the love and memories that continue to shine bright. 

When you donate to Agrace, you help bring comfort, dignity, and peace of mind to people facing serious illness, aging, or grief. If you’d like us to display a card with your loved one’s name, donate here.

Doubling Each Dollar

They Thought of Everything—and Made Sure He Was Comfortable 

Lucie spent years caring for her brother Davy, navigating the challenges of his schizophrenia and later his lung cancer. When she realized she couldn’t manage his care alone, she turned to Agrace. 

Your generosity helps Agrace provide care that meets people where they are—with understanding, patience and compassion. For Davy, that meant caregivers who understood his unique needs; for Lucie, it meant finally being able to rest, knowing her brother was safe and cared for. 

“They thought of everything—and made sure he was comfortable.” 

Davy, Lucie & Jim

Growing up in Madison, Lucie spent many summers on idyllic camping and fishing trips with her brothers, Jim and Davy. But life took a new turn when Davy was diagnosed as having schizophrenia at 16. 

As an adult, Lucie became Davy’s guardian, navigating the ups and downs of his illness and being a fierce advocate for his needs. Caring for him wasn’t always easy. “His mental illness could make him so difficult,” Lucie says. 

Davy remained a beloved part of the family, and her children embraced him despite his differences. “My kids knew Uncle Dave was different, but he was included in everything we had going on,” explains Lucie. “He read to my four-year-old daughter with her in his lap. He loved reading Dr. Seuss.” 

Davy plays a harmonica with his niece (on piano)

As the years went on, the challenges of caring for Davy shifted. When Davy was diagnosed as having lung cancer at age 60, Lucie knew she couldn’t manage his care on her own. She wanted Agrace Hospice Care’s support. “When my mom died, we waited too long and didn’t realize how much help Agrace could be,” she notes. 

At the time, Davy was living in Hannah’s House West, a group home in Madison. “They were really good to him; they were like his family,” Lucie explains. She made sure Agrace could care for him there, where he felt safe and supported. 

Davy’s Agrace care team, particularly his nurse, Ali, and social worker, Sherri, provided regular health updates, discussed different options for Davy’s care and were available when questions came up from either Lucie or Hannah’s House. 

“With Agrace, I always felt like they were right there with me, and we were going to figure things out together,” Lucie says. The care team became partners in problem-solving, advocates for his comfort and a source of reassurance for Lucie. 

“They never gave up on him,” Lucie remembers. “Every time they came in, they greeted him with a smile and said, ‘Hey, Davy, how you doing?’ They always tried to bring him happiness in the ways that mattered to him.” Lucie adds, “Davy always wanted to sleep on the floor, and I was worried about his safety and bedsores. Agrace found the right mats so he could be safe. They thought of everything—and made sure he was comfortable.” 

With Agrace, Lucie could finally just be Davy’s sister. “I didn’t have to be an expert anymore. I could just bring Davy candy bars and let go a part of being his caregiver.” 

Agrace helped Lucie and her family feel supported and cared for when they needed it most. When you give to Agrace, you bring other families that same peace and comfort. Help us provide compassionate care to families in your community by making a gift to Agrace—and light up a life this holiday season.