Articles & Stories

For Marion, breast cancer and its treatment brought pain and depression that kept her from the things she loved doing. She was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer in 2014. Eventually, Marion’s oncologist referred her to palliative care.

Palliative care (pronounced pal-lee-uh-tiv) is specialized medical care for people living with serious illness. This type of care is focused on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family. Palliative care is provided by a specially-trained team of doctors, nurses and other specialists who work together with a patient’s other doctors to provide an extra layer of support. It is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness, and it can be provided along with curative treatment.

“Since I began seeing palliative care, I am much more aware of living purposefully, of spending my time doing things that mean something,” says Marion.  … Read More

Are you or a loved one living with an illness like COPD, cancer, Parkinson’s, heart, or kidney disease? If you are, you might greatly benefit from palliative care – and you should demand it.

Palliative Care (pronounced pal-lee-uh-tiv) is specialized medical care that is focused on relieving the symptoms and stress of a serious illness. The goal is to improve quality of life. Palliative care is provided by a specially-trained team of doctors, nurses and other specialists who work together with your other doctors to provide an extra layer of support. It is appropriate at any age and at any stage in an illness, and it can be provided along with curative treatment. … Read More

Listen and watch on-demand here.

Recorded: June 29, 2022

Featured Presenter:
Andy Esch, MD, MBA

Webinar Description:

If you or a loved one are living with a serious illness like cancer, COPD, heart disease or others, you likely know the feelings of anxiety and depression. You may assume that it’s normal to feel sad or worried when you’re sick. While it is normal to have days when you feel blue, something is wrong if these symptoms don’t go away, if you’re having trouble eating or sleeping, or if you’re not enjoying things the way you normally do. … Read More

When Kelly—a central New Jersey woman in her early 30s—is asked what brings her joy, she doesn’t have to think very hard.

“It’s definitely being with my young son. He’s my world. His smile lights up my life,” says Kelly.

Since she was 12 years old, Kelly has faced an array of medical issues. Over the years, she has dealt with lupus, mitochondrial disease, a clot in her lung and main vein to the heart, and autonomic neuropathy. These issues have caused additional heart and bladder problems, as well as gastropareses, which affects the normal movement of muscles in the stomach. Kelly had done her best to deal with the chronic pain for nearly half her life, but in 2016, the issues became unbearable, and even the smallest task became an issue. … Read More

When you receive a diagnosis of cancer, heart failure, COPD, or any other serious illness, it can be very hard to think clearly on the spot. In such a situation, try not to be preoccupied with asking all the “right” questions immediately. Here are some questions that can help with your conversation:

… Read More

If you or a loved one is living with a serious illness and struggling with pain, stress or other symptoms, a referral to a palliative care team can help provide relief and improve your quality of life.  While a doctor referral is usually necessary, here’s a place to start: the Palliative Care Provider Directory on GetPalliativeCare.org.  The Provider Directory is designed to help you find and locate palliative care in your area, quickly and easily.  

… Read More

If you’re living with an illness, it’s not unusual to also suffer with fatigue. Fatigue is the feeling of being easily tired so that you are unable to do everyday tasks.  You may feel especially forgetful, have a sense of general weakness, and feel unable to focus.

Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of illness, but it is often not recognized by doctors. If left unaddressed, this symptom can undermine your quality of life and even your ability to pursue treatment for your illness.

… Read More

Listen and watch on-demand here.

Recorded: February 12, 2019 @ 1:30 ET

Featured Presenter:
Tara Liberman, DO
Northwell Health

Webinar Description:
Shortness of breath is one of the most common symptoms for people living with a serious illness. It can be caused by asthma, cancer, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), pneumonia, or other conditions. Struggling for air can be exhausting and frightening for you and for your caregivers. A palliative care team can help. Palliative care is available at any stage of your disease and the earlier you get it, the better.  … Read More

How do I know if palliative care is right for me?
Palliative care may be right for you if you suffer from pain, stress or other symptoms due to a serious illness.  Illnesses may include cancer, heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease, Alzheimer’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s and many more. You can have palliative care at any age and at any stage of your illness, and you can have it together with treatment meant to cure you.

What can I expect from palliative care?
You can expect relief from symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, constipation, nausea, loss of appetite and difficulty sleeping. Palliative care helps you carry on with your daily life. It improves your ability to go through medical treatments. It helps you better understand your condition and your choices for medical care. In short, you can expect the best possible quality of life.  … Read More

Listen and watch on-demand here

Recorded: December 13, 2018 @ 10:30 ET

Featured Presenter:
Beth Popp, MD

Webinar Description:
If you or a loved one has ovarian cancer, the experience might include pain, nausea, feeling tired, worried, and unable to do everyday tasks. If left unaddressed, the symptoms and stress of ovarian cancer, and the side effects of treatment, can undermine your quality of life and even your ability to pursue treatment for your illness. But palliative care can help ─ especially early in your illness. The first step is to learn more.  … Read More