Tag Archives: Good Death



”Last Acts of Kindness,” by Judith Redwing Keyssar

Stories from the bedsides of the dying and what they can teach us

A few months ago, I interviewed Redwing Keyssar for the SevenPonds blog to get her perspectives on death, dying, and palliative care. Her book, Last Acts of Kindness, outlines Redwing’s unique philosophies and also provides a vital tool for health … Continue reading

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What is the Conversation Project? – An Interview with Martha Hayward

The Conversation Project seeks to share and encourage end-of-life discussion

Martha Hayward is the Lead for Public and Patient Engagement at the Conversation Project, a Boston-based non-profit “dedicated to helping people talk about their end-of-life wishes.” The Conversation Project offers conversation-starters, information resources, and a venue for users around the … Continue reading

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How to Cope with a Terminal Illness? – An Interview with Michael Engelberg

A longtime oncologist shares his thoughts on coping with a terminal condition and dying a "good death"

Doctor Michael Engelberg is an oncologist of 40 years, based at Cedars-Sinai medical center in Los Angeles, California. Aurora: Let’s say I’ve just been diagnosed with cancer, or another terminal illness. What should my first steps be? Dr. Engelberg: I … Continue reading

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“The Secret Life of Bees,” by Sue Monk Kidd

A young girl grapples with her mother’s death and the universal problem of growing up

Growing up has never been easy for any one. In Sue Monk Kidd’s critically acclaimed first novel The Secret Life of Bees, her protagonist, Lily Owens, does so in the midst of the Deep South’s Civil Rights revolt. The memory … Continue reading

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What is a Good Death?

Elizabeth Edwards’ Death by Metastatic Cancer and Our Conception of a Good Death

Every person might have a different idea of what constitutes a “good death.” Perhaps a good death would center on emersion in the love of family or reconciling conflicts with those who were once important to us. Our culture’s discomfort … Continue reading

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