Brandy’s Creative Outreach Helped to Transform Hospice Relationships
When Brandy Harwood, immediate past president of the Funeral Directors Association of Kentucky, set out to write a children's book about grief and death, she had no idea it would become her key to unlocking meaningful partnerships with hospice care providers across her community. I remember many times catching up with her on the phone during 2020 asking, “what have you been up to?”. Her immediate response was always, “still working on my children’s book!”
Her book, "Grammie's Goodbye," tackles one of life's most challenging conversations—explaining death and the funeral process to young children. It’s a 44-page hardcover beautifully illustrated book that helps children navigate the confusion and questions that naturally arise about the death of a loved one. As Brandy explains in her book, "There is no right or wrong way to grieve," and funerals mark "the beginning of the grieving process and the healing journey."
But here's where Brandy's creativity truly shone: rather than simply publishing the book and hoping it would find its audience, she took a proactive approach that would strengthen the entire end-of-life care network in her area.
Brandy began personally delivering copies of "Grammie's Goodbye" to local hospice care teams. Her message was simple but powerful—this resource could help their staff support families with young children who were struggling to understand what was happening to their loved one. “Grammie’s Goodbye” became a bridge between funeral service and hospice care, creating natural opportunities for collaboration and referrals.
What started as a thoughtful gesture evolved into something much more significant. By providing hospice teams with a practical resource they could use in their daily work, Brandy demonstrated the funeral profession's commitment to supporting families throughout their entire grief journey—not just during the funeral service itself. Brandy’s creative outreach is certainly the most creative one I have come across over the years of helping funeral homes connect with hospice.
Sometimes the most effective marketing isn't about promoting your services—it's about genuinely serving your community's needs and building authentic relationships with other care providers who share your mission of supporting families during their most difficult times. Creative and compassion can open doors that traditional networking need could. Check out Grammie’s Goodbye HERE!
