death and loss

Even in the most painful circumstances, those who reconcile their relationships express the feeling of finishing well—their life fulfilled.

Palliative care teams swoop in as an extra layer of physical, relational, emotional, and spiritual support for patients facing serious illness, at any stage.

After caring for dying patients and grieving her own losses, Ms. Vaughan said she believes getting in close to the sacred moments of dying offers solace and connection.

Up to 90 percent of patients with serious, life-limiting illnesses, such as cancer, COPD, and chronic kidney disease, report never discussing their end-of-life wishes with their physicians. Research shows that patients want these discussions but most never initiate the talk—nor do their doctors, whose training focuses on saving lives, not helping people die well.