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A Commitment to Care

More than 30 years ago, Sally Werst McKeen and her mother found themselves facing an unimaginable loss. Sally’s father, Harry K. Werst, had been diagnosed with leukemia and given only weeks to live.

Feeling overwhelmed and unsure where to turn, Sally reached out to a nurse who connected the family with one of the hospice teams that would later become Community Healthcare of Texas.

The compassionate care they received brought comfort not only to Harry, but also to Sally and her mother during one of the most difficult times in their lives.

“It was the most compassionate, caring relationship that I had ever experienced,” Sally recalls.

What began with her father’s care grew into a relationship that has spanned decades.

Since Community Healthcare of Texas was founded in 1996, the organization has continued to care for Sally’s family through multiple chapters of life. Her mother, Doris Werst, was among the first patients to receive care at the organization’s inpatient hospice house after it opened in 2003. Years later, Sally’s husband, Major General Chet McKeen, became the first patient admitted to the Community Healthcare of Texas palliative care program before later receiving hospice care.

Along the way, Sally found meaningful ways to give back, serving on the organization’s Board of Directors, including as board president, while helping advance its mission of compassionate care. The generous gift of her time and resources ensures that others will have access to the same care for generations to come. 

Looking back, Sally sees Community Healthcare of Texas as more than a healthcare provider—it has been a trusted partner for her family through life’s most difficult moments.

Her family’s story reflects the lasting relationships that have defined Community Healthcare of Texas for three decades: caring not only for patients, but also for the loved ones who walk beside them.

For Sally, the compassion her family received decades ago continues to inspire her today, ensuring that the legacy of care her father first experienced lives on for future generations.

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