Board member. Board chair. Leadership gifts committee. Recipient of the Dr. William M. Dunlap award in recognition of her service and dedication. Brenda Gibson was all of these and more for Hospice of Wake County, raising millions of dollars to build the new campus on Trinity Road. Although she had no personal experience with the agency at the time, she had become a strong believer in the mission after hearing so many good things from so many people. "When Billy Dunlap approached me to serve with him to lead the capital campaign," she says, "I jumped at the chance."

Then in 2012, Brenda's beloved mother Violet Chappell fell ill and was hospitalized four times in six months. In between these stints in the hospital, Violet lived alone at her home in Wake Forest, with Brenda trying desperately to be her primary caregiver — as well as her daughter.

Heartbroken, Brenda watched her mother's health continue to decline, and reached out to Transitions LifeCare for home visits. "As emotional as I was," states Brenda, "there was no way I could handle everything on my own. Transitions LifeCare provided everything Mom needed. They provided such wonderful care, and kept her from going back to the hospital."

Through her firsthand experience, Brenda became even more dedicated to helping other families like hers. She not only became one of three cabinet co-chairs of the Power of 10 campaign, but joined the Legacy Society herself.

"If you are going to ask people to contribute, you have to truly and sincerely believe in the organization and show your commitment by being a contributor yourself," proclaims Brenda.

Clearly, Brenda knows how to ask people to contribute. She was, for example, co-chair of the capital campaign that raised $50 million to build WakeMed's first children's hospital.

Just as clearly, she sincerely believes in Transitions LifeCare. In fact, she and her husband Ron generously donated money for the new family waiting room in the new wing of the Hospice Home, which she named for Violet Chappell.

"My mother loved doing for others," Brenda relates. "She taught me the importance of giving back. And I know she would be extremely proud of me."