![]() It is a concept, and a skill, that Gord Downie has mastered. “Dying well” is a strange-sounding concept to many, and yet dying well is one of the most important life skills we can ever develop. And yet until recently, our medical system has done everything in its power to completely avoid the possibility of death at all costs. Palliative care professionals also support people to create legacies, complete important relationships in their lives, and reflect on any unfinished business so that they can die peacefully. ![]() And the evidence shows that with this approach, people live longer. They will maintain a relationship throughout their journey with the disease. They will agree upon a treatment plan from there, and adjust it as needed. They will take equal consideration to the person’s physical, emotional, spiritual and social needs. A good palliative care professional will listen closely to the person and educate them on all their options. It may be to continue to treat the disease by any means necessary. It may be to avoid hospitalization, or to die at home. Their goal may be to make it to their daughter’s wedding in seven months. They build treatment plans according to the patient’s goals. In the palliative approach to medicine, the medical team listens to the patient and their families about what matters most to them. The cancer centre where I work was a generous recipient of many local fundraising drives related to Hip events.īut one glaringly obvious fundraising cause that I didn’t see was the one that probably made the whole miraculous farewell tour possible: palliative care. The Gord Downie Fund for Brain Cancer Research is an exciting outcome of the legendary singer’s diagnosis, and it will no doubt make a difference in understanding treatment for this disease. Communities across the country collected donations for the Canadian Cancer Society at free screenings of the show. The band donated some of their concert revenue to the Sunnybrook Hospital where Downie is receiving treatment. Many important fundraising initiatives came out of the Farewell Concert too.
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