Additional Resources For Terminal Illness
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Terminal Illness: Additional Resources
June 30th, 2025SevenPonds suggests the following resources for people living with a life-limiting or terminal illness:
Patient Assistance Programs
These programs offer financial assistance with an array of treatment costs, including co-pays and medication costs.
National organizations
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
Caringinfo ( offered by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
The Second Opinion (free second opinion to cancer patients in California)
National Institute on Aging – Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
Housing and transportation
American Cancer Society Hope Lodge Program (short-term housing during treatment)
Mercy Medical Angels (help with long-distance transportation for treatment)
American Cancer Society Road to Recovery (help with short-distance transportation to medical appointments)
Hospice Providers
Identifying a reputable hospice provider is one of the most critical decisions a family can make, as it directly impacts the quality of comfort, dignity, and specialized care a loved one receives during their final chapter. A high-quality hospice program goes far beyond basic medical management; it depends on a fully coordinated, compassionate team of doctors, nurses, social workers, and chaplains who seamlessly support both the patient’s physical needs and the family’s emotional well-being.
Opting for a certified, well-reviewed provider ensures strict adherence to safety standards, reliable 24/7 crisis responsiveness, and comprehensive grief support. For more guidance on navigating this process and selecting the right care team, please refer to our article, “How Do I Find a Hospice Program?”
Notable Palliative Care Experts
Dr. Joseph Lowy, M.D. — Clinical Professor, Department of Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine: Director, Palliative Care, NYU Langone Health
Dr. Stephen Pantilat, M.D. — Distinguished Professor in Palliative Care and the Inaugural Chief of the Division of Palliative Medicine at UCSF
Dr. Stephanie Harman, M.D –.Associate Professor of Medicine Clinical Chief, Section of Palliative Care at Stanford Medicine Palliative Care Center of Excellence
Dr. Jessica Nutik-Zitter, M.D. Critical Care and Palliative Care, Highland Hospital, Oakland, CA
Dr. R. Sean Morrison, M.D. — Professor of geriatrics and medicine; Director of the Hertzberg Palliative Care Institute, and Hermann Merkin Professor of Palliative Medicine , Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.
Dr. Laura Shoemaker, D.O., M.S. — Assistant Professor of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Chair Department of Palliative & Supportive Care Cleveland Clinic
Dr. Ira Byock, M.D. — founder & Senior Vice President for Strategic Innovation of the Institute for Human Caring at Providence St. Joseph Health
Dr. Diane E. Meier, M.D. –– Vice Chair for Public Policy and Professor of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Professor of Medical Ethics and the founder of the Hertzberg Palliative Care Institute at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.
Dr. Dawn Gross, M.D. Palliative Care Physician, UCSF Medical Center, San
Francisco, California