Articles & Stories

Tony Back, MD, a doctor in Seattle, has very useful and clear tips for caregivers caring for someone with a serious illness during COVID-19.  What you do is so important to the person you care for—so first, Dr. Back and all of us want to shout out a huge thank you. 

Many of you want to know what you should be doing now about coronavirus. And you’re saying, we’re already staying at home. What else can we do? Well, there are three other good things you can do now. … Read More

If you or a loved one are living with a chronic lung disease or other respiratory condition, you may be wondering how Coronavirus (COVID-19) could affect you. Below, doctors Louis R. DePalo and Andrew E. Esch share tips and answer frequently asked questions.* … Read More

If you or a loved one are living with cancer, there are things that you can do to protect yourself from coronavirus (also called COVID-19). Doctors Cardinale B. Smith and Andrew E. Esch share tips and answer frequently asked questions.*  … Read More

This is a concerning time, especially for older adults and people living with a serious illness. Because of COVID-19, it’s important to protect yourself and loved ones as much as possible. In this blog post and video, Dr. Sean Morrison of The Mount Sinai Hospital discusses what a coronavirus is and provides important information and tips.  … Read More

By Andrew Esch, MD

Did you know that most large hospitals in the U.S. have a specialized medical team that uniquely cares for people living with serious illnesses? If you or a loved one has any type of cancer, heart or kidney disease, dementia/Alzheimer’s disease, or any other serious illness, you should know about this extra layer of medical support. It’s called palliative care and focuses on relieving symptoms and stress that so often come with these kinds of illnesses.  … Read More

Rae Anne was at a concert with friends when she found a lump on the side her neck. Worried, she left and scheduled various doctor appointments to figure out what it could be, as she didn’t have any other symptoms. Over the course of a few weeks, the lump grew, and she was diagnosed with stage 4 head and neck cancer.

After several rounds of chemotherapy and 35 radiation treatments, Rae Anne was told by her oncology team that she needed to wait at home for 3 months until her next scan, in order to see if the treatment worked. While living with anxiety and side effects from treatment, Rae Anne received a phone call from the palliative care team at the hospital where she received treatment, to schedule an appointment. She had never heard of palliative care and didn’t know what to expect.  … Read More

When Dan and Meghan’s five-year-old son Ryan was born with a rare genetic disorder that causes severe developmental delays and many other complications—they didn’t know where to turn. Seizures, surgeries, and sleepless nights due to respiratory issues that required frequent hospital stays in the first six months of Ryan’s life took a toll on the young parents. 

“I spent so much time on the phone dealing with insurance companies and coordinating doctor’s appointments that I wasn’t able to spend quality time with my newborn,” says Meghan. 

As the number of symptoms and medical issues increased, along with traveling long distance to get to the closest hospital, Meghan and Dan began searching for extra support. Social media research led them to a specialty that helps children and their families deal with all aspects of a serious illness.

This is Ryan’s palliative care story.  … Read More

By Lisa Morgan 

Do people know much about palliative care? What are the top concerns of people living with a serious illness?  … Read More

Did Your State Make the Grade?

By Lisa Morgan

Palliative care, also known as palliative medicine, is specialized  medical care that focuses on relief from the symptoms, pain and stress of serious illness. Appropriate at any age and at any stage of a serious illness, it is provided at the same time as all other treatments.

Palliative care is growing rapidly in the US as more and more people see the potential of palliative care to improve quality of care and quality of life. But getting palliative care is easier in some states than others.  … Read More

When Sarah, a mother of two young boys, was diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer at age 34, she was shocked and overwhelmed, but also determined to find the best care possible. She fought for a cancer doctor who would support her at every turn, and found specialists to address the many consequences of treatment she experienced. She enlisted her own pharmacist to help her understand and adjust the numerous medicines to minimize side effects. She found a pain specialist and physical therapist to help with difficult symptoms and side effects of treatment, and other doctors to round out her care team. She was willing to do anything to remain active and be able to care for her sons. 

“I think any serious illness is going to make a patient assess their life, their values, and their purpose,” says Sarah. “Patients deserve the highest level of care available and I wasn’t going to settle. Not for me and not for my children.”  

One day, she was telling a friend about the hand-selected care team she assembled to give her an extra layer of support through the cancer journey.  

“That sounds a lot like palliative care,” the friend said.  This is Sarah’s story.  … Read More