Mt. Hood Hospice recognizes Agent Orange Awareness Day on Aug. 10

By Jolie Phanton and Brit Allen

With a small but dedicated crowd, representatives from Mt. Hood Hospice hosted their 5th annual Agent Orange Awareness Day memorial gathering on Aug. 10. The event was held in Centennial Plaza instead of the traditional veterans memorial space on the corner of Pioneer Blvd. and Highway 211 due to ongoing ODOT construction.

“Today is about remembrance. It is about truth. And it is about ensuring that the legacy of Agent Orange is never forgotten,” said Community Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator Jolie Phanton. “Aug. 10 is recognized as Agent Orange Awareness Day, marking the date in 1961 when the substance was first used in Vietnam.”

“More than 50 years have passed since the Vietnam War, yet for thousands of veterans and their families, the effects of Agent Orange did not end when they came home,” Phanton added. “They continue today — in hospital rooms, in homes, in hospice care, and around family dinner tables where loved ones continue to carry the physical and emotional weight of decisions made decades ago.”

Phanton explained that nearly three million Americans served in Vietnam, and 58,276 never made it home, with 1,587 more still considered missing in action.

“Behind every one of those numbers is a person. A name. A family. A story,” Phanton said. 

During the Vietnam war, approximately 20 million gallons of herbicide were used as tactical defoliants. Agent Orange was one of them. The name came from the orange stripe on the 55-gallon drums in which it was stored. At the time, few understood the long-term consequences of exposure. 

Today, we know that many veterans have faced serious illnesses linked to that exposure, including multiple cancers, Parkinson's disease, ischemic heart disease, diabetes, and many other conditions. We also recognize that the impact has extended beyond those who served, affecting spouses, children, and future generations in ways that continue to be studied and understood.

“Behind every diagnosis is a person,” Phanton explained. “A father who came home and built a life while quietly battling illnesses that appeared years later. A mother who became a caregiver long before anyone knew what the future would hold. A spouse who has stood beside a veteran through countless medical appointments, treatments, and difficult conversations. Children and grandchildren who have watched someone they love fight battles that never truly ended.”

“Their service did not end when they left the battlefield. And neither should our commitment to them,” she added. “That is why awareness matters. … It means ensuring that every veteran receives the compassion, respect, and care they have earned. As a community, each of us has a role to play. We can listen. We can learn. We can advocate. We can support organizations that care for veterans and their families.”

Those in attendance were invited at the event to light a candle in honor of loved ones and people they knew who have been impacted by Agent Orange, and partake in a moment of silence.

By participating in the national We Honor Veterans program, Mt. Hood Hospice is dedicated to recognizing the unique needs of veterans and their families by ensuring they receive compassionate, veteran-centered care all year round. 

About 25% of the nonprofit organization’s patients have served in the military, and ongoing team education, community outreach, and recognition ceremonies allow Mt. Hood Hospice to accompany veterans and their loved ones toward a more peaceful end-of-life journey.

The We Honor Veterans program empowers hospices to improve care through respectful inquiry, compassionate listening, and grateful acknowledgement. 

Aside from the Agent Orange Awareness Day ceremony, Mt. Hood Hospice hosts several annual events highlighting this commitment to serving veterans. Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day, observed every March 29, offers the long-overdue recognition these veterans never received. In partnership with The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration, hospice staff proudly present official lapel pins to veterans or spouses during emotional and heartfelt ceremonies. Every November, they also host a Veterans Recognition Ceremony in partnership with the City of Sandy at the Sandy Senior Center, and all veterans and community members are welcome.

For more information about Mt. Hood Hospice’s services, ceremonies or community programs, visit mthoodhospice.org or call 503-668-5545.