Our Story

People often ask why I chose to start The Willows Hospice.

The answer is simple—and deeply personal.

When my mother needed hospice care, our family experienced firsthand how difficult it can be to receive timely, consistent, and compassionate care in rural Indiana. We waited for visits, struggled with communication, and often felt like we were navigating one of the hardest seasons of our lives without the support we expected. During a time when every moment mattered, the care we received fell short of what every family deserves.

As a registered nurse, I understood the healthcare system. I knew who to call, what questions to ask, and how hospice was supposed to work. Yet even with that knowledge and experience, I often felt overwhelmed and abandoned by the process.

That realization has never left me.

If I felt that way—with years of nursing experience—how much more difficult must it be for families who have never walked this road before?

No family should have to wonder when help will arrive. No caregiver should feel alone while making impossible decisions. No patient should receive different levels of care simply because they live in a rural community.

That experience became the foundation of The Willows Hospice.

While our commitment to serving rural communities was born from my family’s experience, our mission extends throughout Northwest Indiana. Families in communities like Crown Point, Merrillville, Valparaiso, and the surrounding areas often have many hospice providers to choose from, but having more choices does not always make the decision easier. Families deserve more than a list of agencies—they deserve a hospice that is committed to clinical excellence, timely response, compassionate communication, and personalized care.

At The Willows Hospice, we believe where someone lives should never determine the quality of hospice care they receive. Whether we are caring for someone in a rural farming community or a growing suburban neighborhood, our commitment remains the same.

Our promise is simple:

Comfort. Clarity. Connection. Bringing the Calm.

Comfort means managing pain and symptoms with clinical excellence while honoring every patient’s wishes.

Clarity means helping families understand what to expect, answering every question with honesty, and guiding them through each step with confidence.

Connection means building relationships that remind every patient and family they are never alone.

And Bringing the Calm means being the steady presence families need during life’s most difficult moments. It means answering the phone, returning calls, showing up when we say we will, listening with compassion, and providing the reassurance that comes from knowing someone is walking beside you.

The name The Willows Hospice reflects the strength and grace of the willow tree. Though it bends in life’s fiercest storms, it does not break. We chose that name because we believe families deserve that same kind of steadfast support—a team that stands beside them with compassion, dignity, and unwavering care.

My mother’s journey will always be the heart of this organization. Her experience inspired a promise that guides every decision we make: to provide the kind of hospice care I wanted for my own family.

Every patient deserves dignity.

Every family deserves to feel supported.

Every moment deserves compassion.

It is our privilege to walk this journey with the families we serve, bringing comfort, clarity, connection, and calm when they need it most.

— Maryann Burk, RN, BSN

Founder, Chief Executive Officer & Director of Nursing
The Willows Hospice