Literature Review

Galactic Symphony thrills young hospice patient Lovin' Life; by Lin Sue Flood; 2/1/26 A quiet backyard suddenly burst into song with the stirring brass of John Williams Star Wars theme recently, transforming a regular afternoon into a Galactic Symphony. For 26-year-old Anthony Castle, a lifelong Star Wars superfan, it was like watching the magic of the big screen come to life. Through a unique partnership between Hospice of the Valley and the Phoenix Symphony, six professional musicians arrived at Anthonys home to perform a private medley. To the delight of Anthony who proudly wore his Baby Yoda T-shirt several of the performers arrived in character, dressed as Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker.

Fly fishing support group provides new angle on grief processing: The grieving can find peace in the rhythm of fishingTimes Courier, Ellijay, GA; by Jackson Elliott; 1/28/26 Few people understand grief like a hospice chaplain. “I’ve experienced about 5,000 deaths,” former hospice chaplain Rick Gillert said. “And I’ve helped those families and patients through the grieving process." “‘I had this idea in the back of my head of combining professional grief care with fly fishing,” he said. During his time as a hospice chaplain, he would often seek peace from the difficulty of the work by going fishing the next day. “I can almost imagine my anxieties, my worries as leaves falling on the water and washing away,” Gillert said. In his program, clients join a group and go through a 10-week course on fly fishing, processing grief and coping skills.

Sanofi Collective - Foundation S stands behind transformative children's palliative care project in Kenya Global Treehouse Foundation; Press Release; 1/27/26 A significant grant from the Foundation S - the Sanofi Collective will enable a transformative three-year project delivering comprehensive grief and bereavement care to families affected by childhood cancer in Kenya. This is about more than funding: it’s about ensuring families are seen, supported and not left to navigate their most challenging moments alone. Foundation S’s investment is a significant milestone in integrating grief and social-emotional support into healthcare systems - an area too often overlooked, yet essential to the dignity and well-being of children and those who love them.

[United Kingdom] Winner's £25k hospice donation matched by lottery BBC News; by Rebecca Kenyon; 1/27/26 A lottery winner who donated £25,000 of her prize to a Kent hospice which cared for her late husband says she is "thrilled" her donation has been matched by the company which ran the draw. Linda Styles donated the money to the Heart of Kent Hospice in Aylesford in August after winning £250,000 in the People's Postcode Lottery. ... It costs £7.6m a year to provide services at the hospice but only 20% of that funding comes from the government. The hospices says this means it relies on voluntary donations for the other 80%.

[Snow shoveling] Call to action: Local volunteer opportunities Prince William Living; by Volunteer Prince William; 1/23/26 ... Volunteer Prince William is recruiting Volunteer Snow Shovelers to assist senior citizens and adults with disabilities by clearing sidewalks and driveways after snowstorms.  ...

10 things I learned after 10 years with ovarian cancer Cure; by Kelly Irvin; 1/22/26 My birthday was January 20. ...  I received my stage 4 ovarian cancer diagnosis on Jan. 16, 2016. ... So here I am still alive ten years later on my 68th birthday. ... I feel I’m allowed to share what I wish my younger self had known when I received my diagnosis. Counting down to number one, here are my lessons learned:

I'm still working in the medical field at 83. My husband doesn't need me at home staring at him all day — I want to be productive. Business Insider; as told to Noah Sheidlower by Barbara Ford; 1/15/26 This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Barbara Ford, an 83-year-old registered nurse and patient advocate for a healthcare company. Ford's husband worked into his 80s until some health issues led him to retire. Editor's Note: For more, visit a compilation of Noah Sheidlower's similar interviews, "Read Business Insider's stories and watch our video after nearly 200 interviews with workers over 80." Also, pair this with today's post, "Retirement for Beth Dorsk: Her day is her own."

The long quiet of Karen Andrews 15 - Utah's Art Magazine, by Shawn Rossiter; 1/14/25 When Alli Harbertson first walked into the Andrews home, it was the paintings that stopped her. “They’re everywhere,” Harbertson recalls. The living room—where Karen Andrews’ hospital bed had been placed—was filled with artwork, paintings covering the walls and leaning against furniture while ceramics, blankets and small sculptures covered coffee tables, bureaus and dressers. ... [After Karen's death,] Ron Andrews did not know what to do with the more than 130 painting, but he knew what his wife had asked of him. “She was so clear,” Harbertson says. “She said, ‘I made my mark. This is the mark I made—my paintings. Don’t let them go to the DI.’” ...

Your middle initial: The weight of a single letter The DO - End-of-life care; by Wendi J. Lovenvirth, DO; 1/13/26 A physician recounts her hospice patient’s final days and the unexpected gravity of completing his death certificate, when one small choice becomes an act of remembrance.

Marion hospice volunteer wins major honor from New England Patriots SouthCoast Today | The Standard-Times; by Faith Harrington; 1/14/26 Giving back took center stage this season as the New England Patriots Foundation donated $185,000 to 17 local nonprofit organizations in honor of its 2025 Patriots Difference Makers. ... The feel-good initiative wrapped up during the Patriots’ season finale on Jan. 4, where all of the Difference Makers were recognized, including Marion resident Madeline Cooke, who earned the title of 2025 Patriots Difference Maker of the Year. ... As the 2025 Patriots Difference Maker of the Year, Cooke was presented with a $25,000 grant for Community Nurse Inc. ... The foundation called her “a trailblazer, determined to walk alongside patients and their loved ones with dignity, grace, and compassion.”

Sue Ryder urges people to donate unwanted Christmas gifts to support hospice care RDG.Today, United Kingdom; by Staff Writer; 1/5/26 The charity Sue Ryder is encouraging people to donate unwanted Christmas presents to its local shops to help raise funds for palliative care and bereavement support. The national charity, which supports people facing terminal illness and grief, said items such as clothing, unused gadgets and home accessories could be given a second life by being donated rather than left unused at home. ... Sue Ryder has almost 400 shops across the UK, with money raised helping to fund palliative and end-of-life care in hospices and in people’s homes, as well as free bereavement support services. 

Documentary sheds light on HIV patient’s science-advancing ‘last gift’ through UCSD study San Diego Union Tribune; by Noah Lyons; 12/30/25 The documentary "The Last Gift" follows Jim Dunn's end-of-life decision to donate his tissues to HIV research, highlighting the altruistic act of giving back to science. The film showcases Jim's journey and the impact of his final act on advancing HIV research. It is a poignant reminder of the power of individual generosity in the pursuit of medical breakthroughs. 

Belleville home is full of holiday decor, with a twist The Pantagraph, Bloomington, IL; by Pat Eby If ever a house could come straight out of a Hallmark holiday movie, the Kalish home in Belleville just might be that cozy home where romance flourishes and holiday spirit reigns. And the holiday wouldn't need to be limited to Christmas New Years, Valentine's Day, St. Pat's, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Halloween, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah there isn't a holiday in the books Stacey and Brian Kalish don't celebrate with themed decorations at their home, inside and out. ... Stacey is especially big on decorating for Christmas. They have a big tree, but she also puts up one small Christmas tree she got for her dad when he was in hospice and decorated it with angel ornaments. She was just 21 when he died. She adds a new angel ornament to the tree each year in his memory. Editor's Note: Stacey's annual ritual of adding the "small Christmas tree she got for her dad when he was in hospice" and adding a new ornament "each year in his memory" is a beautiful, simple, ongoing way to honor his memory visibly, to "continue bonds" (an important, intercultural grief concept) for herself, family, and generations ahead. Consider adding something like this to your holiday care for next year; what community donors might support this?