Mustaches Lift Moods, Raise Funds For Crescent Cove Hospice Care

Mark Martindale is a certified nursing assistant (CNA) at Crescent Cove, a children’s hospice and respite home in Brooklyn Center.

He went back to school to get his CNA license just to have the opportunity to work there.

“I worked in another field for many years, and after having that experience with our son, I decided to get my CNA and come work here,” he said.

Martindale’s son, Isaac, was born in 2009.

“He was very medically complex,” Martindale said. “He had a lot of different supports for him like oxygen, and cough assists, and other things that would help him have a good quality of life.”

Isaac went into hospice care when he was 6 years old.

When Isaac was in hospice, Martindale met the founder of Crescent Cove, Katie Lindenfelzer. She provided the family with support during a difficult time.

“Even to this day, now as Crescent Cove, still supports our family even though it’s been nine years now since Isaac’s gone,” Martindale said.

Isaac died when he was just 7 years old.

Now, through his work at Crescent Cove, Martindale gets to help kids in the same situation as his son.

“I think that that’s helped me in dealing with the kids that come here,” Martindale said. “They are all so precious.”

This spring, Martindale found a different way to support kids with terminal illnesses. It involved his facial hair.

Normally, Martindale said he sports “a little beard and a little bit of goatee.”

Now, he’s only got a mustache.

The nonprofit Mustaches for Kids is collecting donations for Crescent Cove. In return, people like Martindale grow a mustache for a month.

“I thought wow, that’s a really cool idea,” Martindale said.

Donations are essential to the operation of Crescent Cove.

“Families pay nothing out of pocket for it so philanthropy and donations really make our home run,” said Jenny Floria, engagement and communications manager at Crescent Cove.

Mustaches for Kids hosted a “StacheBash” on May 2, handing out awards for the best mustache. They also revealed that the current total for funds raised is $82,146.

The nonprofit will continue collecting donations for Crescent Cove through the end of May. To donate to Martindale’s campaign, click here. Mustaches for Kids also accepts general donations.

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SOURCE: CCX MEDIA