“We make dying
harder,” states Dr. Byock. “We all want the best care possible for ourselves, our
spouses, parents, for our patients. One size doesn’t fit all.” During his
keynote presentation, Dr. Byock will expand on how the healthcare community
needs to respond in newer and more innovative ways to change how we treat
serious and chronic illness.
The theme of this year’s conference is Dying in America:
Ensuring the Best Care Possible. Each year, the Foundation conference seeks to
address the state of death and dying in America by creating a space for open
dialogue and educating the community about issues at end of life.
“There is no greater voice for compassionate end of life
care in our country than Dr. Ira Byock,” said Frank Williams, conference
chairperson and Casa de la Luz Foundation board member. “Dr. Byock’s quest to
transform care through the end of life speaks to one of the major concerns we
have today in our society.”
Dr. Byock is one of the foremost palliative care physicians
in the country and professor at Dartmouth Medical School. He argues that how we
die is among the biggest national crises facing us today and has been a
consistent advocate for the voice and rights of incurably ill patients and
their families. He is the author of bestselling books, Dying Well, The Four Things
That Matter Most, and his most recent, The
Best Care Possible, as well as numerous published essays. He has also been
featured on Nightline, Talk of the Nation, The NewsHour, and he and his team were featured in November 2009 on
CBS’ 60 Minutes, in a segment, “The
Cost of Dying,” which won a Peabody award for journalism.
Experts in the field of death and dying will host morning
and afternoon workshops for conference participants. The one-day conference is
open to healthcare professionals, caregivers, volunteers, and community members
interested in improving end of life care. More than 200 attendees are expected
to attend this year’s event.
Funding for the 12th Annual End of Life
Conference was provided by the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona
through the Shaaron Kent Endowment Fund as well as additional sponsors and
private donations. To register for the Thursday evening seminar or the Friday all-day conference, go to www.casafoundation.org or call 520-544-9890. Early reservations are recommended as space is limited.
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