Joe Martinez

Collabria Hospice

Napa, CA

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Joe’s kind and easy-going manner belies his exceptional dedication and compassionate care in his work as a hospice volunteer for Collabria Care hospice in Napa. For nearly four years, he has made an unquantifiable difference for those with life-limiting illnesses, as well as their families. A deft communicator in both English and Spanish, Joe brings comfort and calm to people in some of their darkest moments. He also serves in a similar capacity at Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa.

He first began volunteering for hospice during the 1980s AIDS crisis in San Francisco, and being present for his patients is what drives him. “When I am with a hospice patient, I don’t see someone who is dying,” Joe says. “I might see someone who’s talking, resting, or maybe in pain, but I see someone who is alive. I focus on what they need to make their life better at that moment, even if it’s just to hold their hand, listen to them or pray with them.”

Joe will overcome any obstacle to attend to those who need him most. When the COVID-19 crisis emerged, he quickly realized the limitations of conducting hospice services by phone. Determined to help a grieving family, he became the first volunteer trained to use the PPE required for in-person visits.