Author Archives: Marissa Abruzzini (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

How Do We Improve Communication About Palliative Care?

An interview with palliative care physician Dr. Steven Pantilat, Part One

Today, SevenPonds speaks with Dr. Steven Pantilat, a San Francisco-based healthcare professional with an expertise in palliative care. Dr. Pantilat teaches at UCSF, and consults with hospitals and other healthcare facilities on the best methods for improving communication about palliative … Continue reading

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A Decrease in Life Expectancy Could Impact Pensions

With more Americans dying young, retirement benefits could change

Despite many medical advances in recent decades, American’s life expectancy is on the decline. Two studies by the National Center for Health Statistics found that more Americans are dying at younger ages (under the age of 65) than in the … Continue reading

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“The Evening and the Morning and the Night” by Octavia Butler

Butler's novelette explores the isolation experienced by those who have terminal illnesses

What if researchers discovered a cure for cancer, but in the process, unwittingly triggered a deadly genetic disease? This is the premise behind “The Evening and the Morning and the Night,” a short science fiction story by Octavia Butler. Although the … Continue reading

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“We all pay for life with death, so everything in between should be free.”

- Bill Hicks
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A High-Fiber Diet Could Protect Your Colon From Infection

Researchers find a link between high-fiber diets and gastrointestinal health

Your doctor has probably already told you how important a high-fiber diet can be for your health. But now we have even more research supporting this claim. A group of researchers found that when microbes in our digestive tract don’t get … Continue reading

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Our Monthly Tip: Hand Out Forget-Me-Not Memorial Seed Packets

Give guests a living, growing plant to remember their loved one

Our Tip of the Month Bringing freshly cut flowers to a funeral is customary, but these delicate plants usually wilt within just a few days. In lieu of flowers, consider bringing forget-me-not memorial seed packets instead. Unlike pre-cut flowers, seed … Continue reading

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