A Personal Calling
“I didn’t know what hospice was,” she recalls. “I just knew my mom was dying and we needed help.”
What followed was a decision that would change not only her life, but the lives of tens of thousands of patients and families throughout the region. Malene went back to school, got her business degree, and launched what would become West Virginia Caring (originally called Hospice Care Corporation).
Building with Purpose
What started with a small team in Preston County has grown into a nationally respected nonprofit serving 12 counties across northern West Virginia. Malene and her staff built West Virginia Caring on one guiding principle: no one is ever turned away, regardless of their ability to pay.
“We believe everyone deserves quality end-of-life care,” Malene says. “We’ve never wavered on that.”
Beyond providing in-home hospice care, Malene’s vision expanded to include community services like grief support, Camp Caring (a bereavement camp for children), and even retail thrift stores that fund free services for those in need.
“We don’t just take care of patients — we take care of families,” she explains. “Because death affects everyone, not just the person who’s dying.”
Leading with Innovation
Malene didn’t just stop at helping her local community. Her leadership in the hospice world grew to a national scale, including time as CEO of Capital Caring in Washington, D.C., and as an advocate for policy change at the federal level.
Despite the larger roles she’s taken on, her heart has always remained in West Virginia.
“This place shaped me,” Malene says. “And I wanted to give back.”
Today, West Virginia Caring is one of the few remaining independent, nonprofit hospices in the country — and one of the most respected.
The Hospice Conversation
One of the most important takeaways from Malene’s story is the need to talk about hospice sooner, not later.
“Hospice isn’t about giving up — it’s about quality of life,” she emphasizes. “The earlier we’re involved, the more we can do to help.”
Too often, families wait until the very end to reach out. By then, opportunities for pain management, emotional support, and spiritual care may be limited. Malene encourages everyone to have open, honest conversations about what they want — long before a crisis hits.
“It’s the most loving thing you can do for your family,” she says.
Final Thoughts
Malene Davis’s story is more than just a business journey — it’s a legacy of compassion. Her work reminds us that caring for others, especially during life’s hardest moments, is one of the greatest callings a person can answer.
To learn more about Malene Davis and the life-changing work of West Virginia Caring, listen to the full episode of Positively West Virginia — available now on your favorite podcast platform.
Visit wvcaring.org to learn how you can support their mission, volunteer, or get help for a loved one in need.
