As young boy, Cody lost his father. He remembers his classmates talking about him as "that kid whose father died."

At the Hospice of the Conejo, "he found a place where he was accepted, here in these rooms," said Maria Prescott, executive director of the organization serving eastern Ventura County and the area from Westlake Village to Calabasas.

Three years later, Cody became a mentor to the group's younger members, assisting them whenever possible, said Prescott, who described Cody's story as an example of the program.

The mentoring program is one of several the hospice offers for children and teens who have lost a parent or grandparent — something often difficult for them, especially when their classmates are making Mother's Day or Father's Day cards at school, Prescott said.

This year, the Hospice of the Conejo is celebrating its 30th year in existence, helping families through difficult times as their loved ones faced the final stages of life. The mission of the hospice is to affirm life and to help people die with dignity.

As part of its anniversary observance, the hospice will host a reception at the Plug Nickel restaurant, 717 Lakefield Road, Westlake Village, for volunteers, board members, sponsors, families and others to have a champagne toast.

"It is an honor to be able to walk into their life and help them through a delicate time," said Prescott. "Even though we are a hospice, people come in for different reasons."

One of the more popular groups is for widows who have been married for 50 or more years. Another service the hospice provides is guiding school counselors. Members of the hospice staff go to schools to talk to counselors and offer information for children.

"We are not a business," said Prescott. "We are here to serve the community."

Lois Curran-Klein of Westlake Village said her sister-in-law passed away in Chicago from colon cancer. Earlier, after the diagnosis, Curran-Klein wanted to be there for her younger brother to help him through that time of need. She said she went to Hospice of the Conejo, where she was given pamphlets and other reading materials that she was able to read on her flight to Chicago.

When she reached her brother, she was better informed and understood the stages her sister-in-law would go through, and was better able to help her family, she said.

"I was aware of hospice but not like this," said Curran-Klein. "Those pamphlets helped me and my family so much. They were very short reads, but the impact was tremendous."

Later, a nurse went to assist Curran-Klein's sister-in-law three days a week.

"Hospice is a great thing," said Curran-Klein. "People go to a group and hope that they might find some comfort."

The hospice has 85 to 100 case volunteers for patient care. The volunteers are matched with patients, depending on patients' preferences. One of the hospice patients was a veteran and wanted a volunteer who was a veteran to be near him in his time of passing, and the volunteer coordinators were able to arrange that for him.

"Our volunteers develop a strong bond with the families," said Prescott. "It's a vulnerable time both our volunteers and the families remember."

People volunteer in different ways. One of the volunteers is a professional photographer and offers to take one family portrait a month, free of charge.

"We try to provide resources to people," said Prescott. "We try to connect the right match."

The hospice also arranges for high school students who want to volunteer by painting, landscaping or in other ways.

More information is available by contacting Prescott at 495-2145.