Literature Review

April is Global Volunteer Month Points of Light - Global Volunteer Month; retrieved from the internet 4/2/26 Global Volunteer Month is a time to honor and celebrate volunteers worldwide while encouraging volunteerism everywhere. Volunteers, you are the heartbeat of strengthening communities, and throughout the month, we recognize your vital role. We also urge everyone to join us in taking action, as every act of service contributes to a more connected world. During April, lend your time, talent and passion to making a real difference in your own backyard and cause a ripple effect around the world.Editor's Note: How is your hospice celebrating and honoring volunteers this April? We’re gathering meaningful and creative ways organizations express appreciation for those who serve in so many roles throughout the year. We’d love to include yours. Please email me at jberger@hospicepalliativecaretoday.com with a brief description and a link to more details (article or webpage). Let’s honor the heart of hospice—together.

Seniors who say they’re “not afraid of death” often still carry these quiet worries they don’t talk about Bolde; by Julie Brown; 4/1/26 My grandmother said it so matter-of-factly that it almost stopped the conversation. ... "I'm not afraid of it," she said. "I've had a very good life. When it's time, it's time." And she meant it. I believed her completely. But then, a few minutes later, she mentioned almost in passing that she hoped she wouldn't "get confused" at the end.

Neenah pastor finds deeper calling after brother’s hospice journey WFRV Green Bay, WI; by Breanna Reinhart; 3/30/26 For the Reverend Niveen Ibrahim Sarras, walking with people through their final moments of life is more than a calling. It’s deeply personal. ... For years, Sarras has guided families through grief, offering prayers and presence at the end of life. But last summer, she found herself navigating that journey from a different perspective. Her brother, Odeh, traveled from Palestine to visit after a long battle with cancer. Just days later, doctors delivered devastating news. “The doctor, after having a CT scan, told me my brother was dying, and I shouldn’t let my brother go back,” Sarras said. Her family turned to hospice care, ... Through language barriers, cultural differences and grief, a team of local caregivers stepped in to help. What followed was a shared experience of compassion and learning. “I just want people to know that with hospice we are there to support you wherever you are at, no matter the cultural background,” said ThedaCare hospice nurse Briana Eggert.Editor's Note: To what extent does your hospice put this into action—supporting persons “no matter the cultural background”? Whatever your strengths, where are your cultural gaps, and how can you better align commitments with action through training, access to translated materials, interpreters, and community partnerships?

Generations: Women’s History Month helps us remember women in our own history The Bemidji Pioneer; by Sue Bruns; 3/28/26 Whether you’re a history buff or not, I encourage you to take the last few days of March to reflect on some of the women you know or have known who are worthy of your admiration and reflection. ... I did a little online exploration and read about a few women I don’t recall my history classes mentioning. I encourage readers to go online and search sites like www.history.com and www.nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org. ... I have been blessed with truly amazing, strong, industrious, intelligent and compassionate women. Starting with my own mother.

The good deaths of people who never marry: Lifelong single people are most likely to die pain-free and at peace. Psychology Today; by Bella DePaulo, PhD; 3/8/26 People who are single and want to stay that way are often taunted with scare stories about what will happen to them toward the end of their life—they will grow old alone, they will die alone, and all the rest. Same for people who have no children. But is the quality of the end of their lives really worse for those who never marry (or never have kids) than it is for those who are married, remarried, divorced, or widowed (or who have grown children)? We now have an answer, and it is not at all what those dire warnings predicted.Editor's Note: This Psychology Today article provides an additional focus on "people who never marry" from the article we posted on 3/20/26, “We make our own families”: Do child-free people die alone? Hospice worker shares her experience. Important: "child-free" does not necessarily mean the person never married. Likewise, "never married" does not necessarily mean the person is "child-free."

Akron-area teen remembered for facing cancer with grace, laughter Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, OH; by Ralph N. Paulk and Marilyn Miller Paulk; 3/18/26 Darren Hampton smiled and laughed almost incessantly. ... His family reminisced how he fought an agonizing battle with grace and a seemingly habitual smile long after he was diagnosed with cancer in 2016 at age 7. ... Darren wasn’t afraid to die,” Hampton said. “He understood what was going on.” ... Then, shortly after arriving at the hospice center, he asked Abood, “Are you telling me I don’t have to go to school?” Yet, he expressed a willingness to take his state tests. “He was always concerned about his schoolwork,” ... "(Darren) was full of energy and always positive. He wanted to step in and change the world. He talked about recycling in rivers and lakes.” ... On the day he died, Darren summoned his family.  ... 

Drew Brees visit delights Saints fan living final days in hospice care in Southern California Fox 8, New Orleans; by Ken Daley; 3/14/26 Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees this week paid a surprise visit to a devoted Saints fan living out his final days at a hospice care facility in Southern California. According to social media posts from the Southern California Hospice Foundation, a 48-year-old man identified as Eddie likely has 1-2 weeks to live after being diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor and undergoing four surgeries in the past month that were unable to improve his prognosis. The initial post last Tuesday said Eddie had been transferred to the Heavenly Home hospice in Mission Viejo, an Orange County community between Los Angeles and San Diego. It said Eddie was originally from New Orleans, has always been a devoted fan of the Saints, and especially admired Brees. The post said one of his final wishes was simply to meet an NFL player.

Translating palliative care narratives into art: An arts-based knowledge translation pilot with young adult artists Palliative Care and Social Practice; by Kristina A. Smith, Philippe Blanchard, Susan Law, and Kelli Stajduhar; 2/25/26 Objectives: This knowledge translation project explored arts-based approaches for translating palliative care narrative data into creative forms, examining the feasibility of converting research narratives into accessible art forms that could facilitate engagement with death-related topics. Results: Over 25 artistic works illustrating death and dying experiences were created. The collaborative translation process revealed that undergraduate artists could effectively interpret and visualize complex palliative care narratives through diverse artistic approaches. Course evaluations and informal feedback indicated that artists found the experience meaningful and challenging, and expressed interest in further exploration of death-related topics. Editor's Note: Go to this article and scroll down past "Results" to see photos of these artworks and their descriptions.

Harbors Home Health and Hospice expands community education The Daily World; by Jerry Knaak; 3/6/26 Harbors Home Health and Hospice was selected as the recipient of more than $19,000 in donations at the March 2025 100+ Harbor Women Who Care giving event. The funds were awarded after Harbors was nominated alongside two other local nonprofits and chosen by the attendees for the organization’s commitment to caring for patients and families throughout the community. Rather than using the funds internally, Harbors leadership saw the award as an opportunity to give back through community education focused on aging and end-of-life planning.

Huey Perry: Between celebration and goodbye The Herald-Dispatch, Huntington, WV; by Huey Perry; 3/6/26 There are moments in life that do not fit neatly into human emotion. They do not allow us the comfort of a single response. They stretch the heart in opposite directions at once. I recently experienced such a moment over something as ordinary as lunch. Three friends met to share a meal. Two of them had suffered lung cancer. On this particular day, the news arrived like a divided verdict from some invisible court. One firend had been declared cancer-free. The other had been referred to hospice care. Across the table sat life and death, side by side. ... How does one act in such a moment? I found myself suspended between two emotional poles. ... [Full access may be limited behind a paywall]

Irish man completes 30,000km charity cycle to Australia RTE | 100; by Cara McHugh and Sinéad Hussey; 2/7/26 A Roscommon man has finished a cycling challenge which began almost two years ago and saw him travel over 30,000km across three continents to Australia. Fergal Guihen, from Arigna, arrived in Sydney earlier today marking the completion of a mammoth challenge of endurance which began in March 2024. The 27-year-old set out on the arduous 'Rossie to Aussie' challenge with the goal of raising awareness and funds for both the Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation and NorthWest STOP suicide prevention services. He has raised almost €170,000 to date. 

Navigating end-of-life decisions with Islamic ethics WisconsinMuslimJournal.org; by Sandra Whitehead; 2/20/26 Medical College of Wisconsin Professor Aasim I. Padela, M.D., founder and president of the Initiative on Islam and Medicine, discussed Islamic bioethics during a January workshop on end-of-life decisions at the Islamic Society of Milwaukee. ... About 50 people attended the four-hour workshop, Islamic Bioethics & End-of-Life Healthcare Decisions, held Jan. 31 at the Islamic Society of Milwaukee. It featured experts with backgrounds in medicine, palliative care, hospice and Islam. Speakers made presentations and led discussions about practical steps, resources and strategies to help Muslims “transition from a state of uncertainty about end-of-life healthcare to thoughtful preparation for it,” a workbook given to participants stated.