Care Award Recipient Chosen for Compassion, Service to Patients

    SANTA ANA, CA, October 01, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- When Samaneh Etemadi lost her father to lymphoma five years ago, she immediately knew she wanted to join a profession that served others and improved lives. In 2015, Etemadi, 28, began volunteering at OC Hospice where she cares for adults with varying life-limiting illnesses. Her passion for providing healthcare services to those in need led her to winning Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary's September/October Oliver Halsell Care Award.

"Samaneh has such a special story to tell and the way she brings joy to patients during their final days makes her truly deserving of our Care Award," said Marla Noel, president of Fairhaven. "What I admire most about Samaneh is that she is able to use her own loss to help others cope with a life-threatening disease - all while providing comfort and peace during this challenging time."

Etemadi, who emigrated from Iran in 2008, provides volunteer support at OC Hospice in various capacities. In her primary role, she spends time with a patient suffering from dementia. Since the patient speaks little English, they use their shared knowledge of Farsi to communicate with one another. Etemadi also helps the patient connect with her son in Hawaii, which always brings a big smile to her face. She also assists two other patients when their volunteers are unavailable.

When not at OC Hospice, Etemadi works part-time at Hoag Hospital as a nutrition assistant. She also volunteers at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County and the Inland Empire and Someone Cares Soup Kitchen. A recent graduate of California State University, Long Beach, Etemadi has applied for both nursing and physician assistant graduate programs to fulfill her dreams of becoming a healthcare provider. A proud sister and role model, she resides in Irvine with her aunt and 20-year-old brother, Hamid, who recently moved to the United States.

"Every day, I make an effort to compassionately serve sick patients and their families as I know my father would have wanted me to do," said Etemadi. "It's rewarding to be able to brighten a patient's day, and to be chosen as a Fairhaven's Care Award recipient for my work in the community is a huge honor."

Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary, which has locations in Santa Ana and Mission Viejo, began the Oliver Halsell Care Awards honoree program in 2012 as a way to recognize Orange County residents who are going above and beyond to serve others in their community and to improve the lives of those with which they work.

In November, Etemadi will be presented with her award at Fairhaven's Oliver Halsell Care Awards ceremony at its Mission Viejo facility. The Care Award banquet will recognize six honorees' accomplishments in the community over the past year. Additionally, Fairhaven will make a donation on her behalf to her chosen charity, the Cancer Research Institute.

Fairhaven is accepting nominations for the 2016 Oliver Halsell Care Awards; one more compassionate community members will be awarded this year. For more information and to nominate a deserving citizen, call 714-633-1442 or email [email protected].

About Fairhaven's Oliver Halsell Care Award

Fairhaven's Oliver Halsell Care Award pays tribute to Orange County individuals whose kindness and dedication to serving others is inspirational. These courageous individuals go above and beyond their job descriptions to serve with the utmost care and compassion. Fairhaven's Oliver Halsell Care Award winners come from many fields including private care, hospice, social work, counseling, assisted living, medical providers, nursing, therapy, volunteer work and more.

About Fairhaven

Founded in 1911 by Oliver Halsell to provide a peaceful and comforting place for families to honor their loved ones, Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary is Orange County's most beautiful full-service mortuary, crematory and cemetery. With the memorial park and mortuary in Central Orange County and an elegantly appointed mortuary in South Orange County, Fairhaven provides funeral, cremation and burial services both at the time of need and through advanced planning, maintaining its steadfast commitment to care and compassion. Fairhaven is dedicated to celebrating the individual, providing services that are as unique and wide-ranging as the people they celebrate. Additional information is available at http://www.dignitymemorial.com/fairhaven-memorial-park-mortuary. Connect with Fairhaven at Facebook and Twitter.

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