Photo Caption: Dr. Erin Bendas, (left), Section Chief of Palliative and Supportive Care at St. Luke’s Health Network, Gail McDevitt, Patient Manager, Hospice, and Bob Agentis, Founder of The Judith Adele Agentis Charitable Foundation, celebrate the First Advanced Nurse Practitioner Fellowship Program in Hospice and Palliative Care in Pennsylvania (photo provided by JAACF)

BETHLEHEM, PA (SEPTEMBER 19, 2022) – The Judith Adele Agentis Charitable Foundation (JAACF) has provided funding for the first First Advanced Nurse Practitioner Fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Care in Pennsylvania.

In early September, JAACF Chairman and Founder Robert Agentis presented $10,000 to Dr. Erin Bendas, Section Chief of Palliative and Supportive Care at St. Luke’s Health Network.

“This is the first major donation to our department. We highly appreciate this substantial funding,” an elated Dr. Bendas exclaimed.

A portion of the funds from JAACF will also support the first Train-the-Trainer Palliative Care Partnership Program under the direction of Dr. Cris Johnson, Medical Director at St. Luke’s VNA Home Health and Hospice.

“We are honored to be at the forefront in developing these hospice and palliative care education programs here in Pennsylvania,” said Agentis.

The mission of the newly established fellowship program is to prepare qualified committed and caring nurse practitioners and physician assistants with the clinical silks and academic expertise to become future leaders in hospice and palliative support care.

In early 2020, JAACF board members voted to expand the mission of the non-profit to found The JAACF Palliative Care Education Fund. Then, in 2021, amid the pandemic, JAACF donated an additional $10,000 to certify health care workers and nurses in palliative care at St. Luke’s.

Air Products was the lead sponsor for JAACF’s 2022 fundraising initiative. Supporting sponsors included St. Luke’s Health Network and Tammy Nicotera One Realty Group. Additional funding was provided by Bennett Auto Group, Morris Black Kitchen and Bath, and Northstar Construction.

JAACF was founded in 2013 by Agentis after his wife, Judith, of 47 years, passed away at Hospice House.

Agentis founded JAACF, a 501c3 non-profit, to help fill the need for nourishing meals delivered to hospice house staff, families, and patients.JAACF has delivered more than 20,000 meals to St. Luke’s Hospice House on Black River Road in Bethlehem, PA.

To learn more about JAACF, donate, or learn how to get involved, visit www.jaacf.org or email ba.jaacf@gmail.com.