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Wit, by Margaret Edson
A powerful book that explores cancer, patient dignity, and the emotional realities of end-of-life careThere are many routes to self-discovery. A lot of them are painful. In Wit (or W;t), a Pulitzer Prize winning play by Margaret Edson, the reader (or the audience) witnesses one woman’s such journey, forced upon her by a lonely and hopeless battle with ovarian cancer. Because of the callousness and lack of emotional support…
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Steve Jobs Dies After Battle with Cancer
The innovative Apple founder will be missed worldwide.Steve Jobs, co-founder and former CEO of Apple, died today at the age of 56. Jobs will be remembered throughout the world as a visionary, the man who built the Apple company from a garage in Silicon Valley into the world’s leading tech company. Steve Jobs has been at the frontier of computer technology throughout his…
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Petaluma Arts Center Celebrates Dia de Los Muertos
Arts and Performance Honor and Celebrate Death and CultureOn September 30th, Petaluma Arts Center kicked off their eleventh annual observance of Dia de Los Muertos with “When the Souls Return/Cuando Los Muertos Regresan”, presented by Theatrical Souls. El Dia de Los Muertos – the Day of the Dead – is celebrated in Mexico on November 1st and 2nd. This Mexican National Holiday exists…
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An Interview with Stephanie Gaines
The Crestone End-of-Life Project director talks to us about her organization and its singular open-air cremation siteWhile funeral pyres are common in places like India, the practice of open-air cremation is still very rare in the United States. Yet there has been a shift towards non-traditional burial methods. In the small town of Crestone, CO, Stephanie Gaines and the Crestone End-of-Life Project (CEOLP) have constructed a permanent legal open-air cremation site…
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California Nurses’ Strike and the Loss of Judith Ming
Medical error by replacement nurse causes tragic death of Oakland womanLast weekend, ovarian cancer patient Judith Ming, 66, died as a result of a tragic hospital error at Oakland’s Alta Bates Summit Medical Center. While medical errors are not uncommon, Ming’s death has drawn widespread attention because of its unusual circumstances, as well as pressing questions about how it could have been avoided. The error…
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The End-of-Life and Death in India
India, home to over a billion people, is also home to a plethora of cultural and religious traditions. The birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, India also hosts a large number of followers of other major religions, including large Muslim and Christian populations. This diversity of cultural and religious beliefs also creates a variety…
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“In Salutation to the Eternal Peace”
Sarojini Naidu’s poem emphasizes an enjoyment of lifeIn devoting a week to India here at SevenPonds, we thought we’d take a look at Indian literature for this week’s “The Next Chapter.” The poem I’ve selected is “In Salutation to the Eternal Peace,” by Sarojini Naidu. Naidu is a fitting choice, since she herself joined Gandhi in the Salt March to Dandi, a…
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Gandhi, An Unparalleled Man Representing Non-Violence
We Honor Him By Visiting His Memorial, Raj Ghat and Devoting A Week to IndiaThis coming Sunday Oct 2nd marks the birthday of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and a national holiday in his honor – International Day of Non-Violence. We are devoting this week leading up to the international holiday to Gandhi, his homeland, India, and his contribution to mankind. He not only led India to independence but also inspired…
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Passage Quilting Aids in the Grieving Process
Memorial and Bereavement Quilts Made from the Clothes of the DeceasedSince 2002, Sherri Lynn Wood has been creating artful quilts from what she calls the “materials of everyday life”. Through collaboration and consultation with clients, Wood crafts the quilts from clothing and other common materials to create lasting memories in a comforting and beautiful piece of art. Wood’s work has, over the years, transformed into…
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