Andalusia, ALÂ – Throughout her illustrious career, Janet Paschal has received countless honors and accolades.
Paschal with Deanna Ladd, in Deanna’s home in Andalusia, AL, just weeks before ending her eight-year battle with breast cancer. (photo by: Stephanie Nelson -Andalusia Star News)
With more than a dozen recordings to her credit, the North Carolina native’s passion and vulnerability are most evident in her inspiring music. Her recordings have been recognized with numerous Grammy and Dove Award nominations, and she is consistently named among Gospel Music’s favorite soloists by the genre’s top trade magazines; however, Paschal will no doubt treasure her most recent honor as much or possibly more than any previously received.
On January 17, when Comfort Care Hospice, based in the state of Alabama, hosted their Annual Caregivers’ Awards Luncheon, the announcement was made that a new award would be added to the list of those presented. The Compassion In Action Award was presented to popular singer/songwriter and author, Janet Paschal. “Janet, over and over again, has demonstrated determined‘compassion in action’ by moving without hesitation to care for someone whose need is imminent,†stated Comfort Care Hospice Administrator and Director of Social Services, Mitzi Butler. “For the past five years Janet has been heavily involved with so many different activities Comfort Care has sponsored to help various communities throughout the state of Alabama.†Butler also stated that the Award presented to Paschal this year will in the future to be known as the Janet Paschal Compassion In Action Award
As Butler explains, in 2011 when storms ravaged the state of Alabama resulting in over 200 deaths throughout the state, Paschal reached out to her friends in Alabama to see what could be done and if she could assist in any way. “One of the first phone calls I received the morning after the storms hit the state was from Janet,†Butler shares. “Within days of the storms, Janet was on the ground in Tuscaloosa. That week she personally gave of her time and teamed with Comfort Care and other organizations to present two benefit concerts to help the rural areas of Alabama where family were having to completely rebuild.â€
Butler also shares of one special person Paschal recently touched with her giving spirit. “One of our Comfort Care patients was one of Janet’s greatest fans. She knew she didn’t have very much time left and had expressed to us that her desire was to have Janet sing at her funeral. When Janet learned of this request her immediate respone was, ‘Well, that just won’t do because she will not be there to hear it.’ Within a week, Janet had traveled to Alabama to personally visit the lady in her home. The patient passed away a few weeks later, but this gesture is something her family will never, ever forget. Janet has become the unofficial spokesperson for Comfort Care, and she has touched so many lives by her willingness to give, give and give more.â€
Born in Reidsville, North Carolina, Janet has shared the stage with presidents and has been a featured artist on the popular Gaither Homecoming Tour and Video Series. She is featured on the two latest Gaither videos, Women of Homecoming, Volumes 1 & 2. After battling breast cancer in 2005, Janet resumed her touring schedule, including concerts, women’s conferences and cancer awareness events. In November, 2008, the popular singer released a brand new book,Treasures Of The Snow, which chronicles her triumphant battle with cancer and stories from three decades in Gospel music. Her first literary work, The Good Road became a best seller.
Janet’s travels continue to take her throughout the US and Canada. In recent years, she has hosted her own weekly radio program, Walking The Good Road. The program focuses on cancer awareness. She has also hosted the NQC Cancer Walk at the National Quartet Convention, Southern Gospel Music’s premier week-long festival, with proceeds from the Walk going to the American Cancer Society.
Complete information regarding Janet Paschal may be obtained online at www.janetpaschal.com or to obtain information regarding Comfort Care Hospice visit www.comfortcarehospice.org.
