Literature Review

University of Texas club puts life's memories into book for people receiving hospice care Austin American-Statesman; by Nicole Villalpando; 4/27/24 "What would you like your legacy to be?" Galilea Dupree asks Bob Bell, as she and two other University of Texas students gather around the dining room in Bell's North Austin home. ... Bob, 92, has congestive heart failure. After three strokes and two heart attacks, he began receiving services with Hospice Austin in November. He is one of nine people in hospice who are having their stories told by UT students as part of the Last Writers club. The club works with Hospice Austin and Compassus hospice to identify people who would like to have their stories told.

Hospice nurse plays instrumental role in patient’s joy Scottsdale Progress, by Lin Sue Flood; 4/20/24 You see it at every symphony performance. People so enraptured by the music — their eyes close and their fingers dance in the air. Stuart Brown is one of those people. But as illness began to limit his mobility, the 81-year-old Scottsdale man relinquished the thought of ever attending a live concert again. That’s when his Hospice of the Valley nurse secretly reached out to the Phoenix Symphony with a request to hold a small private concert in his Scottsdale home.

A wish to remember: Penn Medicine program fulfills patients’ last requests Penn Medicine News, by Meredith Mann; 4/9/24 The patient was dying of cancer. All options for saving or prolonging their life had been exhausted. Now, the patient most wanted to spend one more carefree, joyous day with their grandchild. ... This is just one example of the last requests granted through Princeton Health’s Three Wishes Project. On paper, it’s about performing small gestures that bring comfort and meaning to patients at the end of their lives. In practice, it’s about so much more—providing a sense of hope and closure, not only to these patients and their families, but also to staff.

Hospice wedding a declaration of love in the face of medical challenge Penticton Western News, by Alistair Taylor; 4/4/24 The essence of hospice philosophy – emphasizing the significance of cherishing every moment and embracing life to the fullest – was exemplified by the touching and beautiful wedding of Sean Adelberg and Mary Davidson at Campbell River’s Hospice House on Tuesday, April 2. ... “This journey to the altar accompanies Mary’s heroic battle with stage 4 Glioblastoma—an incurable brain cancer. Despite the odds, we’re seizing this incredible chance to celebrate our love,” Adelberg said.

Couple marries at Iowa River Hospice to share day with dying grandfather Times-Republican, by Sara Jordan-Heintz; 3/20/24 It takes a village to coordinate a last-minute wedding, and in the case of Madeline and Quinton Ward, it also took a hospice house. The couple wed at Iowa River Hospice on Monday, February 26 so her grandfather Roger Bauder could officiate. “I wanted our favorite person — my grandfather — to marry us,” Maddie said. “We were blessed to have lots of family and close friends at his side.”

I'm 34 and terminally ill, but I'm not scared of death anymore Metro / Microsoft Start, by Jyoti Smith; 3/31/24 I’ve spent the last nine years living with the idea of dying. In 2015, aged 25, I received my terminal diagnosis. ... My prognosis: three-to-five years. But here I am, almost 10 years on, at 34, and I’m living life to the fullest – if on the edge – and it’s largely down to one thing. Embracing hospice care. ... Editor's Note: Jyoti describes her journey and the care she now received from Marie Curie (hospice), in the United Kingdom.

Hospice nurse plays instrumental role in patient’s joyCity Sun Times, by Lin Sue Flood; 3/27/24You see it at every symphony performance - people so enraptured by the music that their eyes close and their fingers dance in the air. Stuart Brown is one of those people. But as illness began to limit his mobility, the 81-year-old relinquished the thought of ever attending a live concert again. That’s when his Hospice of the Valley nurse secretly reached out to the Phoenix Symphony with a request to hold a small private concert in his Scottsdale home. “We absolutely can make this happen for him and his family,“ said Valerie Bontrager, director of community engagement. Editor's Note: Need some inspiration? Read this heart-warming story.

Art Ellison has one dying wish: Feed all New Hampshire students Concord Monitor, by Michaela Towfighi; 3/15/24 Art Ellison isn't one to mince words. With red blanket over his lap and a "support public education" t-shirt on, he has one final request as he rests at the Granite VNA hospice house. ...

Man’s dying wish was to see newest ‘Dune’ film. Director made it happen before release Global News, by Alessia Simona Maratta; 3/4/24 A palliative care patient’s end-of-life wish was to see the second installment of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune before he passed. The Quebec filmmaker and his team rushed to make it happen almost two months before the film’s premiere and just days before the man died. 

How immersive technology became a Veteran’s dying wish At the end, he wanted to “fly over” the Virgin Islands VA News, by Dr. Anne Lord BaileyImmersive technology gave one Veteran a last chance to experience his homeland. Mr. Tito, an Army Vietnam Veteran and Virgin Islands native, lived in the Phoenix VA Health Care System Community Living Center (CLC) for four years. 

Back from the Super Bowl: Terminally ill Oak Hill man gives update on his trip of a lifetimeWVVA, by Gailyn Markham; 2/16/24Last week, WVVA shared the story of a terminally ill man from Oak Hill who had been selected by the NFL and Dream Foundation to go to the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. Well, John Dean, 63, is back home in West Virginia and shares some details of his trip of a lifetime. Dean was one of two sports fans chosen to attend the 58th Super Bowl and watch the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers go head-to-head. He says the experience was an emotional one that he will never forget, and shares more in a video diary he took on the big day. ... “We are finally at the Super Bowl! My dream come true...Go Kansas City! Thank you, NFL, and, thank you, Dream Foundation for making this dream possible!” 

Silverado Hospice - Hospice Stories

Corby boy, 10, set for Arctic trek in tribute to fatherBBC News, by Kate Bradbrook & Brian Farmer; 2/2/24A 10-year-old boy once told he might never walk can look forward to days of "wonder" as he prepares to trek in the Arctic in memory of his late father. Caeden, who has cerebral palsy, was born 12 weeks early. But Caeden, of Corby, Northamptonshire, has climbed Ben Nevis and is now set to meet the Arctic challenge. Mountain guide John Cousins said the "biggest danger in such conditions comes from the cold". Caeden is due to travel to Sweden on Monday with mother Lisa, brother Ashton, 12, and sister Khya, 14.