National Hospice Foundation to Award Actress and Hospice Ambassador Torrey DeVitto the Buchwald Spirit Award for Public Awareness

Award to be presented at NHF Gala on April 26 in the Washington, DC area

ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 18, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Torrey DeVitto is one of the busiest actresses working today, who amidst her professional career finds time to raise awareness about hospice care as the first official Hospice Ambassador for the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. DeVitto is not just a hospice advocate, for the past six years she has been a volunteer for Mission Hospice in Glendale, California.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130418/DC96934)

For her many contributions, the National Hospice Foundation is honoring DeVitto at its annual gala on April 26, 2013.

DeVitto is starring as Maggie Hall in the hit television series "Army Wives" on the Lifetime Network; she appears as Dr. Meredith Fell on "The Vampire Diaries" and is Melissa Hastings on the ABC Family Channel's "Pretty Little Liars." Later this year she will be seen in the major motion picture, "Evidence."

For her dedication in increasing understanding of hospice, NHF is awarding DeVitto with the Buchwald Spirit Award for Public Awareness at the organization's ninth annual gala at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD, on April 26.

The award was named in memory of Pulitzer Prize winning columnist Art Buchwald who became the public voice for hospice care in the last year of his life.

"This award honors individuals who use their own public presence to raise awareness of hospice and help dispel misconceptions about quality care at the end of life," said J. Donald Schumacher, NHPCO president and CEO.  "There is no better example of this than the actress, advocate and hospice volunteer Torrey DeVitto."

"Through her many interviews, active social media presence, and appearances at NHPCO conferences and events hosted by FHSSA – our affiliate organization that supports hospice care in sub-Saharan Africa – Torrey is changing the perception of hospice for the better," added Schumacher.

DeVitto created the theme, "Comfort, Love, Respect," used for National Hospice and Palliative Care Month last November. A t-shirt she designed bearing the phrase is available for purchase from NHPCO's Marketplace. All proceeds from t-shirt sales benefit hospice outreach.

For gala information, to purchase tickets or support NHF, please visit www.nationalhospicefoundation.org/gala.

Contact:
Jon Radulovic
Vice President, Communications
Ph: 703-837-3139
Cell: 571-259-5026
[email protected]

SOURCE National Hospice Foundation