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“Between Two Kingdoms” by Suleika Jaouad
A memoir of cancer and recovery in early adulthoodThe name Suleika Jaouad may ring a bell. At the young age of 23, Jaouad was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia and given a 35% chance of survival. She faced years of intense chemotherapy and a grueling bone marrow transplant, and in the midst of all of this, started writing a column…
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“An Untitled Japanese Death Poem”
A Zen monk’s final words offer insight into this world and the nextEmpty-handed I entered the worldBarefoot I leave it.My coming, my going —Two simple happeningsThat got entangled. This untitled poem by Kozan Ichikyo, written in 1360, represents a genre known as “jisei” or Japanese death poems, once common among Zen monks and poets in Japan and China. The poems, which typically appeared in the form of…
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Liquor Licenses for Funeral Homes: A New Trend?
Funeral homes liven things up with bars and alcoholThe funeral industry is experiencing an interesting trend — the rise of funeral homes seeking liquor licenses or adding bars. While we traditionally see funerals as somber events with tears, black clothing, and sentimental scriptures, this type of service has less and less relevance for many Americans today. Celebrations of life, with more light-hearted themes…
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“I Grieve”
Cathartic tune both mourns the dead and celebrates the ongoing nature of lifePeter Gabriel is not one to shy away from difficult emotions. His 1998 song, “I Grieve,” walks the listener through some of the various stages of grief — beginning with denial. A mournful, evenly paced dirge gives way to the lyrics: It was only one hour agoIt was all so different thenNothing yet has really…
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“Over the Moon”
A film following a young girl who finds a way to let her mother go while journeying to the moon“Over the Moon,” distributed by Netflix, is a colorful computer-animated children’s musical. The protagonist, Fei Fei, begins the film as the only child of a couple who operate a mooncake business. The start of the film can be likened to Disney’s famed movie “Up,” in that tragedy strikes the family early on. Through a musical…
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We May Have Been Wrong About the Aging Process
New studies show groundbreaking results in the age reversal of miceHumans have had many theories about the aging process and what causes our cells to deteriorate. Theories range from oxidative stress, to protein buildup, to the shortening of our telomeres (structures required for cell division). But several recent studies on mice are telling a different story.
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Doctors’ Emotions Often Drive Futile End-of-Life Care
Doctors regularly try useless treatments at the end of a patient’s lifeThe Issue When a patient nears the end of their life, doctors regularly prescribe painful, long-shot treatments to try to stave off death. These last ditch efforts often preoccupy the patient’s thoughts and time during what could be their final days with their families at home. According to Paul R. Duberstein, chair of the department…
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Psychedelics Gaining Traction as Potential Grief Therapy
Prince Harry used psychedelics to deal with the loss of his mother in childhoodResearchers have increasingly been exploring the use of psychedelics for anxiety at end of life — as well as to treat alcohol and drug disorders, depression, and PTSD. Now, the hallucinogenic substances have once again made headlines, thanks to Prince Harry’s admission that they assisted him to process his grief over his mother’s death.
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“Cancer Revolution: Science, Innovation and Hope”
The world’s first exhibit on cancer highlights the past, the progress and the personalThis month, the Science Museum at London wraps up their innovative program, “Cancer Revolution: Science, Innovation and Hope.” Part art exhibit, part history museum, part narrative storytelling, this showcase marks one of the first major exhibits on cancer in recent memory. The American Cancer Society shares that almost 17 million people in the U.S. have…
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