Literature Review

All posts tagged with “General News | Wish & Dream Fulfillment News.”



What is death positivity?

04/02/25 at 03:00 AM

What is death positivity? Healthline; by Sarah Choi, medically reviewed by Joslyn Jelinek, LCSW, ACSW, RDDP; 3/28/25 Death positivity involves acknowledging death as simply the final phase of life. It emphasizes open discussions around death and education on the options, rights, and choices surrounding it. ... The Death Positivity Movement was coined in 2011 by funeral director Caitlin Doughty, but the sentiment existed long before — the movement’s origins date back to the 1970s, drawing on the hospice movement. ... Elements of the Death Positivity Movement:

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Niagara Hospice to offer free community presentation for National Healthcare Decisions Day

04/02/25 at 03:00 AM

Niagara Hospice to offer free community presentation for National Healthcare Decisions Day Niagara Frontier Publications; Press Release; 3/28/25 April 16 is National Healthcare Decisions Day, which is a day set aside to educate and empower individuals to discuss and document their end-of-life health care wishes. Niagara Hospice invites the community to attend the free presentation, “Advance Care Planning: Advance Directives for Health Care,” ... Advance care planning includes advance directives like health care proxies, do not resuscitate (DNR) orders, and living wills. Advance directives help to ensure end-of-life care wishes are followed if one is unable to make necessary decisions for themselves. [Continue reading ...]Editor's note: For more information about National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD), explor The Conversation Project, at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. 

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Port St. Lucie Police honor 10-year-old with badge for his birthday celebration

04/01/25 at 03:00 AM

Port St. Lucie Police honor 10-year-old with badge for his birthday celebration TCPalm, Port St. Lucie, FL; by Eric Hasert; 3/29/25 William Rivero enjoys a 10th birthday with family, friends, and Port St. Lucie Police at his parent’s home on S.E. Nancy Lane on Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Port St. Lucie. William Rivero has muscular dystrophy and is under hospice care, and wanted to be a police officer, so the Port St. Lucie Police got him a small uniform, along with a badge, and swearing in with Chief Leo Niemczyk.

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Hastening death by stopping eating and drinking: Hope Wechkin, Thaddeus Pope, and Josh Briscoe

03/21/25 at 03:00 AM

Hastening death by stopping eating and drinking: Hope Wechkin, Thaddeus Pope, and Josh Briscoe GeriPal Podcasts; by Hope Wechkin, Thaddeus Pope, and Josh Briscoe Eric and Alex have featured discussions about complex bioethical concepts around caring for people at the end of life, including voluntarily stopping eating and drinking (VSED), and multiple episodes about the ethical issues surrounding medical aid in dying (MAID). Recently, discussion has emerged about how these issues intertwine in caring for patients with advancing dementia who have stated that they would not want to continue living in that condition: for those with an advanced directive to stop eating and drinking, how do we balance caring for their rational past self and their experiential current self? Should these patients qualify for medical aid in dying medications? And is there a middle path to provide some degree of comfort while also hastening the end of life?

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My Stories program preserves cherished memories of patients in hospice

03/12/25 at 03:00 AM

My Stories program preserves cherished memories of patients in hospice The Alpena News, Alpena, MI; by Reagan Voetberg; 3/8/25 The Hospice of Michigan in Alpena preserves the stories of patients, not in a book or photo album, but on a flashdrive. It’s called the My Stories program. Patients in hospice are given the opportunity to video record their stories and memories for their loved ones to hear once they’ve passed. Patients do not have to pay a dime to record their life stories. Alpena’s Hospice of Michigan Volunteer Program Coordinator Kristie Lukes talked about how meaningful the My Stories project is to patients and their families. Lukes coordinates volunteers to help patients with their recordings. Lukes explained further what My Stories is. “It’s a recording of the patient’s life and the stories that they want to share with family and patients,” she said. “So it becomes kind of a legacy project.” 

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The staging of 'The Story of My Life' at Asbury Memorial filled with serendipitous moments

03/11/25 at 03:00 AM

The staging of 'The Story of My Life' at Asbury Memorial filled with serendipitous moments Savannah Morning News, Savannah, GA; by Amy Paige Condon; 3/6/25 ... [Ray] Ellis, a retired music and drama teacher who works now as a caregiver, and fellow church member Dottie Kluttz, a retired hospice nurse, were hanging decorations in Asbury Memorial’s Social Hall. Ellis shared how his dream of producing “The Story of My Life” was back on his mind … A former hospice nurse, Kluttz founded Savannah Hospice’s Story Keeping program in 2001 as a way for people near the end of their lives to share the story of their lives. …  [Click on the title’s link to read the serendipitous, synergistic encounters that unfolded, resulting in shows March 28, 29, 30.] [Upon underwriting for production costs,] Ellis proposed that ticket sales for the musical could serve as a fundraiser for Savannah Hospice’s Story Keeping program and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research—a nonprofit near and dear to Ellis, who was diagnosed about three years ago with the progressive brain disease that causes tremors, stiffness and balance problems. … Stage and film actor Mark Rand, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s around the same time as Ellis, agreed to portray Thomas to Ellis’s Alvin—even after Rand thought he would never perform again. …

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Local teen helps patients at the end of life preserve memories

03/07/25 at 03:00 AM

Local teen helps patients at the end of life preserve memories 10 Tampa Bay YouTube channel; 3/6/25 A bittersweet and beautiful story this morning. A local teen is helping  patients at the end of life preserve memories to pass on to family. The Lifetime Legacies program through Empath Health can be in the form of a journal or a video, too. ... It's hard to think about, losing a loved one, but this is a great way to celebrate their lived experience. ... While chipping away at Bright Futures Community service hours, Zoe Lazanowski found purpose and passion. ... A volunteer with Suncoast Hospice (a member of Empath Health), Zoe helps interview patients who want to be part of the Lifetime Legacies program. Memories are documented from their childhood, family history, and sharing special stories. "One of my favorite things to ask was what advice they would have for the family ..."

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Lifelong ISU fan receiving hospice care attends Cyclone basketball game

03/07/25 at 02:30 AM

Lifelong ISU fan receiving hospice care attends Cyclone basketball game CBS KCCI News-8 YouTube channel, Des Moines, IO; 3/24/25 A care home in Boone worked to get a lifelong Iowa State fan to what might be her final men's basketball game tonight. Beverly Adrian is receiving hospice care. She is 79, but turns 80 at the end of the month. Her last wish was to attend an Iowa State event, and since she is such a huge sports fan, the workers at the home she lives in thought this game would be perfect. And as you can see, it was an emotional night for her. "Oh, awesome!" "Very good!" "I've been crying since I walked in." ...

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Bride rushes wedding so dying dad can walk her down aisle

03/05/25 at 03:00 AM

Bride rushes wedding so dying dad can walk her down aisle Doniphan Herald, Doniphan, NE; by TImogen Howse; 3/4/25  A bride planned her wedding in less than 24 hours - so her dying dad could walk her down the aisle. Maurice Haynes, 69, is currently being cared for at St. Giles Hospice in Whittington, Staffs. [UK], ... His daughter Hannah Haynes, 29, was desperate for him to be present at her upcoming wedding - and knew Maurice had always wanted to walk her down the aisle. So she made sure her dad's dream came true. With the help of the hospice staff, Hannah and her partner, Josh, also 29, organized their special day in less than 24 hours. Carers transformed the hospice's chapel into a beautiful venue - complete with bunting and candles - and Hannah managed to secure a wedding dress on the morning of the ceremony. Just hours later, on February 18, Maurice, from Cannock, Staffs. [UK], walked Hannah down the aisle ... Hannah said: "What St Giles have done for my dad is unbelievable.

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19-year-old says home hospice is a gift, not doom and gloom

03/03/25 at 03:00 AM

19-year-old says home hospice is a gift, not doom and gloom Keloland Media Group, Sioux Fall, SD; by Tom Hanson; 2/27/25 ... Cheyenne may be 19, but she is wise beyond her years, especially when it comes to something doctors discovered when she was 11. “I have stage 4 Metastatic Osteosarcoma, which is bone cancer in my lungs and It hasn’t responded very well to treatment, so that’s so I’m on hospice, but not because, I’m not on hospice because its the end right now, I’m on hospice because just so I have that extra support,” she said. Cheyenne knows people often misunderstand what hospice is all about. “It’s like doom and gloom and it’s like the end, there’s nothing they can do and that’s just not the case, she said. She was able to go on her road trip because Sanford’s Home Hospice team, including Becky Jibben, helped plan the trip and organize support teams along the way if Cheyenne needed help.

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How boomers are personalizing their last chapter

02/26/25 at 03:00 AM

How boomers are personalizing their last chapter Broadview; by Larry Krotz; 2/19/25 From death doulas to digital legacies, this generation is flipping the script on end-of-life traditions. ... I confess that I don’t generally think much about dying, though many in my generation do. Baby boomers, that great bulge in the population whose concerns for so long have dominated the culture, have moved from preoccupations with creative retirement or the adequacies of the health-care system to a fascination with death. Witness the immense popularity last year of the Royal Ontario Museum’s multisensory exhibit Death: Life’s Greatest Mystery or the growth of death cafés ... For my contemporaries, death has become the next item on the to-do list. What it will look like. How to prepare for it. How to make it your own. ...

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Witnessing a living funeral

02/18/25 at 03:10 AM

Witnessing a living funeral Parkview Health; by Tim O'Sullivan, MA, Spiritual and Social Services Supervisor, Parkview Hospice; 2/16/25 ... Rather than planning services after they pass and miss out on a gathering of the people who are most precious to them, some are choosing to schedule a "funeral" while they are still living so they can be a part of the ceremony. These events are known as Living Funerals. As a hospice caregiver, I have seen a rise in the number of these pre-death celebrations of life. While this may not be for everyone, it can be a meaningful experience for those who have chosen to remember a life in this way. I was invited to one of these events and witnessed firsthand the power of acknowledging death while fully living in the moment. ... [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

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Delivery driver’s heartbreaking realization after he picks up hospital job

02/17/25 at 03:00 AM

Delivery driver’s heartbreaking realization after he picks up hospital job Newsweek Life; by Lydia Patrick; 2/13/25 A food delivery driver's shift took an unexpected and poignant turn when he accepted a hospital order that carried a heartbreaking significance. Reddit user u/ondasher808, who chose to remain anonymous, shared that delivering to hospitals is common, as many staff members place orders. However, this particular request included a room number in the ICU, which does not allow direct deliveries. ... He called the customer upon arrival. ... The woman who answered thanked him and assured him that someone would come down to retrieve the food. Then, she added something that left him stunned-it was "someone's final meal." ... Five minutes later, a nurse arrived to collect the bag. ... "I noticed that the bag contained a Happy Meal and that was a bit of a shock because I didn't expect it." ... Later that night, he turned to Reddit to process his emotions, surprised by the outpouring of support from fellow drivers, customers who had ordered final meals for loved ones, and health-care workers who had witnessed similar moments.

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Bride holds emotional dress reveal at hospital for her nana — fearing she wouldn’t be there on the big day

01/07/25 at 03:20 AM

Bride holds emotional dress reveal at hospital for her nana — fearing she wouldn’t be there on the big day Scoop; by Baisakhi Mishra; 1/4/25 Realizing her grandmother would miss her wedding, a bride-to-be makes her way to the hospital with a surprise that will warm your soul. Grandparents eagerly wait to see their grandchildren walk down the aisle. Perhaps, for them, it's like reliving a moment they've dreamed of since they first held their grandchildren in their arms. Through every milestone and memory, the grandparents patiently watch their grandchildren grow and dream about witnessing the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. Similarly, months before her wedding, Gianna Huber (@gianna on TikTok) wanted to make her ailing grandmother, Jo Ann, feel truly special. Fearing her grandma might not make it to her big day, Huber planned a heartfelt surprise—a special wedding dress reveal just for Jo Ann.

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Escambia County Fire Rescue grants a hospice wish to a 17-year-old Cantonment resident

01/07/25 at 03:00 AM

Escambia County Fire Rescue grants a hospice wish to a 17-year-old Cantonment resident Pensacola News Journal; by Tony Giberson; 1/6/25Escambia County Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Paul Williams and Lt. Darren Snipes visit with 17-year-old hospice patient Dalton Harvey and his family in the Cantonment area on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. During the visit, the ECFR presented Dalton with gifts, including a real firefighter's helmet.

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December challenge: Gift ideas part two

12/19/24 at 03:00 AM

December challenge: Gift ideas part two ActiveRain; by Kat Palmiotti; 12/17/24 ... My mother dealt with cancer the last four years of her life with an upbeat attitude, ...  So what did she do with the time she had left? The same as always. It was late November 2011 at this point. So what she decided to do was to make a point of purchasing us all our last Christmas present. ... So for me, she purchased me a coffee cup with a lid which is pictured in the feature photo. ... But my mom didn't stop there. She also wrote each of her family members a handwritten letter. Her letter to me talked about me being her first born, and about what I was like during my childhood, and how she felt about my life as an adult. It was a beautiful letter that makes me smile and cry every time I read it. I treasure it. ... So why am I sharing this? Because when I think back on all the gifts I've ever received, it's not jewelry or clothing or anything else that pops into my mind first. It's a $5 cup and a piece of paper with writing on it. And both of those were my mom giving me love. So, when giving gifts to those you care about, give them love. Perhaps grab a piece of paper and a pen and let them know how much you care about them. Or buy them a small carefully selected item that they might use on a daily basis, smiling because it's from you. Because really, it truly is the thought that counts. Let that thought be love.

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[United Kingdom] 'My son died at 24 - now I'm doing his bucket list'

12/19/24 at 03:00 AM

[United Kingdom]  'My son died at 24 - now I'm doing his bucket list' BBC News; by Adam Eley and Alison Holt; 12/16/24 Alex Spencer's son Declan - who had Duchenne muscular dystrophy - died last year at the age of 24, and she admits she has still not gone a day without crying. "I think society has a misconception that a carer gets their life back [when a loved one dies]," she said. Declan had drawn up a bucket list but died before he could finish it. Now Alex, who wants to raise awareness of the difficulties disabled people face in getting the right care, is taking up the challenge - including visiting Paris, getting a tattoo Declan designed and taking his adapted van around a famous German race track.

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Springside Knitting Club helps Friends of Hospice [in Oswego County]

12/19/24 at 03:00 AM

Springside Knitting Club helps Friends of Hospice Oswego County News Now, Oswego, NY; 12/18/24 The Springside at Seneca Hill Knitting Club recently donated a bin of handmade Afghans to Friends of Hospice in Oswego County (FOHOC), said Elena Twiss, FOHOC executive director. “The Afghans they made will give warmth and comfort to individuals at the end of life in Oswego County and we are very grateful for their support.” FOHOC is a volunteer organization that provides financial and non-medical support to individuals, caregivers, friends and families during the end-of-life journey and supports them following their loss.

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Mom in hospice opens up after video of her dancing with son at wedding goes viral

12/18/24 at 03:00 AM

Mom in hospice opens up after video of her dancing with son at wedding goes viral ABC News - GMA; by Yi-Jin Yu; 12/16/24A New York mom is opening up after a video of her dancing with her son at his wedding went viral. In the clip shared on TikTok, which has already picked up over half a million views since it was posted on Nov. 3, Olivia Armao hugs her son Sal Armao as they share a dance on his wedding day. But as the text overlaid on the video explains, what viewers see isn't your typical mother-son wedding dance. The difference is that Olivia Armao is in hospice care. She told "Good Morning America" she was diagnosed with breast cancer for a second time in 2021. Olivia Armao said the special memory with her 30-year-old son was "really sweet" and one she can't put into words. "I was just happy that I was there and I was able to wait to dance with him. ..." the 62-year-old mom of four told "GMA."

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[Wales] Man fulfils dying wish accompanying daughter down aisle

12/12/24 at 03:00 AM

[Wales] Man fulfils dying wish accompanying daughter down aisle BBC Wales News, Wales, United Kingdom; by Jenny Rees; 12/10/24 A terminally ill man was able to fulfil his dying wish to accompany his daughter down the aisle just six days before he died. Wayne Wharton, a 61-year-old father-of-six had terminal cancer but was taken from hospital in Carmarthen to the wedding, 30 miles (48km) away in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire. He was accompanied by volunteer paramedics, who stayed by his side the whole day, even sitting to eat with guests, before returning Mr. Wharton to hospital. ... "The paramedic pushed dad down the aisle and I held his hand," said bride Jess Lewis, who married her partner Matthew ... "Obviously people cry at weddings because of the emotion, but every single member of the family was there and for a lot of them it was their last time to see him. It was a wedding but also a goodbye."

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Nurse diagnosed with blood cancer fulfills dying wish to see new ‘Wicked’ movie

11/29/24 at 03:00 AM

Nurse diagnosed with blood cancer fulfills dying wish to see new ‘Wicked’ movie Fox 13 Tampa Bay, FL: by Jennifer Kveglis; 11/26/24 A Tampa Bay area nurse who was diagnosed with blood cancer had one dying wish – to see the new movie "Wicked" in theaters. With the help of friends and family, that wish was fulfilled on Monday. Misty Steffen is a wife and mother, and she was also HCA Florida South Shore's chief of nursing. "I've loved every day of my life being a nurse," she said. "Twenty-six years that I got to be one and serve and love and decrease anxiety and increase trust and explain." ... [Description of her serious illness trajectory ...] "It's not what I thought would be the end of my story, but I'm at peace knowing whether I live or whether I die," she said. Steffen said she, her daughter and her husband always sang songs from "Wicked" in the car. Together, they've seen the musical on Broadway twice. Her last wish was to see the new movie in theaters. "The next thing I know he's [her husband] rented out the whole room in the theater," she said. HCA Florida Brandon paramedics, where Steffen worked too, as the assistant chief of nursing, transported her in their ambulance at no charge. "He's like we've got people who are going to come take you in an ambulance to ‘Wicked,’" she said. "I just started balling and I go...'what? Why am I so deserving of that?'" Steffen will spend the coming days surrounded by loved ones, many of whom flew in from all over the country. Editor's note: While this story appears to be focused on the movie "Wicked," it's more about relationships, meaning-making, quality of life, and ... her husband rented out the "whole room in the theater"! If you--like I--enjoy this movie weekend, Misty Steffen's story gives a new meaning to giving thanks, creating new memories from old for now and ahead. From Part 2 of Wicked, "... because I knew you, I have been changed for good."

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Healing hearts: How palliative care staff reunited a father with his daughters after nearly 40 years apart

11/29/24 at 03:00 AM

Healing hearts: How palliative care staff reunited a father with his daughters after nearly 40 years apart The Daily Scan - Cancer; by Sondi Bruner; 11/25/24 Leah Duval and Tanya Ellis don’t have many childhood memories of their father. They recall fragments, like his bright smile and building snowmen in the backyard. And then one day, when they were three and five years old, Glenn Ellis disappeared completely. ​As the girls grew up, they learned their father had schizophrenia, which they guessed played a large role in his disappearance. ... The family searched for years in the 1980s and never found him. The sisters had no choice but to move forward with their lives, though they never gave up hope that their father was still out there. ... Then, on May 14th 2024, nearly 40 years after their father vanished from their hometown in Ontario, Tanya received an unexpected phone call from across the country. It was from Siobhan Gallagher, a social worker at May’s Place Hospice in Vancouver, BC. She had a patient named Glenn Ellis, and he was looking for his daughters. [Click on the title's link to read this story.] ... “People can hold onto grudges for their entire life and they don’t allow healing to happen,” says Tanya. “Have an open heart and an open mind. Just let things go, because we’re just all humans trying to do the best we can in this world.”

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‘Like Christmas to me’: Parade of classic cars celebrates hospice patient in Hudson

11/19/24 at 03:25 AM

‘Like Christmas to me’: Parade of classic cars celebrates hospice patient in Hudson WJW, Hudson, OH; by Rex Smith; 11/16/24 A parade of classic cars made its way through Hudson Saturday to pass by one particular house on Boston Mills Road. They were there for James Gay, a lover of classic cars who also collects miniature classics. He is receiving end-of-life care. “I think this is more like Christmas to me. Whoever can’t get out has to leave the cars here,” he said with a laugh. Gay had the chance to get a close-up look at some of the cars he remembers so well because, in his words, he was around when they were made. Surrounded by family and friends, it was an emotional but special moment. This was all possible because of the “Gift of a Day” program provided by Crossroads Hospice and Palliative Care. For the “Give of a Day,” the question is: if you had one day to live, what would that day look like? “It’s the greatest feeling in the world to make somebody smile, and thinking that may be their last time to enjoy this with their family,” said Rhonda Kissner, the coordinator of the program.

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Mom of 4 is placed in hospice care 2 weeks before son's wedding. On his big day, she's on the dance floor with a smile (exclusive)

11/15/24 at 02:30 AM

Mom of 4 is placed in hospice care 2 weeks before son's wedding. On his big day, she's on the dance floor with a smile (exclusive) People; by Jordan Greene; 11/14/24 ... In October, before entering hospice care, Liv recalls how her mom was in the hospital, and all she could talk about was attending the wedding. With Olivia's health deteriorating, Liv says her brother Salvatore and his fiancée Kelsey had even considered holding the wedding ceremony in the hospital room if necessary. But that contingency plan quickly became unnecessary. On Nov. 2, their mom defied expectations and arrived at Basilica Hudson in Hudson, New York, alongside the other 105 guests to watch her son walk down the aisle — turning the hopes of her kids and everyone else in attendance into a reality. In fact, Liv says her mom exceeded even the best-case scenario the family had imagined. ...

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Community carolers share love with Bartlesville's 'Santa' on his final journey home

11/12/24 at 02:00 AM

Community carolers share love with Bartlesville's 'Santa' on his final journey home Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters - Bartlesville, Oklahoma; by Nathan Thompson; 11/9/24 He's been known as Bartlesville's very own Santa for more than three decades, and on Saturday night dozens of community members showered Ron Adams with the blessing of love and Christmas carols as he faces the final moments of his life.  Earlier this year, Adams was diagnosed with stage-four liver cancer. His health has rapidly deteriated and he is in hospice care at The Journey Home between Bartlesville and Dewey. Debbie Neece, a friend of the family, says she received a phone call from Adams' daughter, Lindsey, Saturday morning with a special request.  Neece made it happen as a fitting tribute to a Bartlesvile icon and his family. ... Saturday's love from the community gathering and singing more than 20 minutes of Christmas carols had a profound impact on Ron, his wife Debi and his daughter Lindsey. Lindsey came outside and in tears, thanked the gathered crowd. A small blessing of Christmas music. A large outpouring of love from the community. But not as large as Ron Adams' heart and his devotion to bringing joy as Bartlesville's Santa.

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