Literature Review

Pikes Peak Hospice donation drive smashes goal; 150 new blankets collected for veteran patients The Gazette, Colorado Springs, CO; by O'Dell Isaac; 3/2/26 Pikes Peak Hospice and Palliative Care reached out the local community with an ambitious request in early January ... [asking] for donations of up to 100 new, handmade lap blankets for its veteran patients by March 2. ... The community has answered the call – and then some. More than 150 red, white and blue blankets have been donated, with more donations still arriving, ... "We've been overwhelmed by this incredible response," said Sonya Bergeron, veteran liaison with Pikes Peak Hospice.

Hyperactive Delirium during hospice patients’ last week of life in a home care setting 

East Texas woman celebrates 100th birthday, leaving legacy of faith and family The Lufkin Daily News; by Ruben Ibarra, Jr.; 6/6/26 A woman who spent her life caring for others turned 100 Monday, surrounded by family members who say her legacy is one of strength, faith and unwavering love. Alzonia Hood Freeman, born March 2, 1926, in Camden, reached the milestone under the care of Hospice in the Pines. A weekend gathering brought relatives from across Texas and neighboring states, while hospice staff held a birthday observance Monday to honor a life that has stretched across a full century. The celebration included a cake donated by Areles Bakery and flowers provided by Lufkin Flower Market.

Heart to Heart Hospice expands service in East Texas Cision | PR Newswire, Plano, TX; Press Release; 3/3/26 Heart to Heart Hospice, one of the country's largest private providers of hospice care, has opened two new agencies in East Texas, significantly expanding its ability to serve patients and families in the region. Heart to Heart Hospice of Huntsville and Heart to Heart Hospice of Hemphill are now making a broad range of hospice services available in nine additional Texas counties. The Huntsville agency serves the counties of Brazos, Grimes, Houston, Madison, Polk, Trinity, and Walker. The Hemphill location covers Sabine and San Augustine counties. 

Hawaii Care Choices expands palliative care services to N. Hawaii West Hawaii Today; Press Release; 3/8/26 Hawaii Care Choices has expanded of its Kupu Palliative Care Program into North Hawaii, “increasing access to compassionate, patient-centered care for individuals living with serious illness and the families who care for them,” according to a press release. Kupu Palliative Care is now available through a dedicated clinic space located within the North Hawaii Hospice office. This will extend palliative care services to those living in Hamakua, Waimea, as well as North and South Kohala. 

ECU Health announces transition of Home Health and Hospice Services to Liberty Home Care and Hospice Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald, Greenville, NC; Press Release; 3/5/26 On March 5, ECU Health announced it has entered into an agreement to sell its Home Health and Hospice business unit to Liberty Home Care and Hospice, an experienced mission‑aligned provider delivering high‑quality care across the Carolinas. The sale will occur pending approval from the North Carolina Attorney General office and will help ensure home health and hospice services remain available for patients and families in the region. The transition includes all ECU Health Home Health and Hospice operations, including: Home Health offices in Greenville, Windsor, Washington and Kenansville, Hospice offices in Greenville, Ahoskie and Kenansville, and The Service League of Greenville Hospice House. 

BMI at diagnosis and pre-diagnosis weight loss as predictors of stage and survival in hepatocellular carcinomaJournal of Clinical Oncology; by Tatiana Ermi, Daniel Kiser, Gai Elhanan, Harry Menon, Joseph Grzymski, Katharine Thomas; 1/26Body mass index (BMI) is a recognized risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but its relationship to stage at diagnosis, survival, and the “obesity paradox” remains uncertain. Obesity at the time of HCC diagnosis, but not years earlier, was associated with earlier stage and improved survival, while pre-diagnosis weight loss predicted worse outcomes, particularly within the first months after diagnosis. These findings may contribute to the “obesity paradox” discussion in cancer outcomes, in which obesity appears to increase cancer risk overall but paradoxically appears to offer survival protection after diagnosis. Additionally, further studies are needed to investigate this relationship. If validated, consideration should be made as to whether BMI at diagnosis could play a role in both prognostic discussions and risk stratification in HCC.

Palliative care physician explains living and dying with ALS Forbes; by Adaira Landry, MD, MEd; 2/26/26 Actor Eric Dane’s recent death from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has drawn national attention. ... Beyond the headlines lies a deeper and more urgent discussion: what life—and death—look like for patients living with ALS. To better understand both the clinical and scientific landscape, I spoke with Dr. Maria “Marissa” Mapa, an internal medicine and palliative care physician who treats patients with ALS, and Dr. Melanie Leitner, chief scientific officer of the ALS Investment Fund, about current and future research directions.

The burden of the eldest daughter MedPage Today's KevinMD.com; podcast by Jessie Mahone, MD; 10/15/25 Were you the one who always held it together? The responsible one? The one who made sure everyone else was OK, sometimes at the cost of your own well-being? For most eldest daughters, this role is inevitable. We don’t choose it. We are handed it, early and often, because we are so “capable.” We accept this role and excel at it. That’s what most eldest daughters do with whatever is handed to us. Recently, my podcast cohost, another female physician, and I realized we had so many shared “eldest daughter” experiences. 

How compliance technology can improve day-to-day operations BusinessABC; by Peyman Khosravani; 2/25/26 ... Compliance technology, compliance software, or regtech, is the use of software and technology to help companies adhere to regulatory, legal, and internal requirements, and the automation of monitoring, reporting, and auditing of compliance. ...

Awards and Recognitions: February 2026

Friends of Hospice starts life longings bucket list program WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY; by Iris St. Meran; 2/26/26 Losing a friend or loved one is never easy. That’s why organizations like Friends of Hospice in Oswego County are important. They provide non-medical support and have a new initiative to help those facing a life limiting diagnosis fulfill bucket list requests. Elena Twiss, the executive director shared more about the Life Longings program. It is designed to support individuals facing a life-limiting diagnosis by fulfilling “bucket list” requests, making comfort improvements, or helping with milestone celebrations. To learn more about life longings and the other resources friends of hospice provides visit FriendsOfHospice.org.