Hospice & Black History Month

Hospice, Death, and Dying in the African American Community

"Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die. It’s not so much the act of dying itself, but the things that are surrounding death: injustice, poverty, mistreatment and evil...” There’s a sense that we won’t be stopped by those things—our ‘somehow theology.’ Some how, some way, we will get through this.” —Rev. Frank Jackson
Faith Presbyterian Church

 A Brief Overview

According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization website, an estimated 1.65 million people received hospice services in 2011.  Of those patients only 8.5% were African American.  With such a small percentage of the African American population receiving hospice services at the end of life, it begs the question, "Why are African American families not receiving the same health care as other races in the United States?"

Some point towards attitudes regarding death and dying in the African American community as a reason why there is a limited number of families opting for hospice care.  An enlightening article titled African American Perspectives on Pain and Palliative Care from Duke Divinity School's Institute on Care at the End of Life offers insightful research into the subject.  The author relates (through a quote by Reverend Frank Jackson of Faith Presbyterian Church as seen above) that the African American experience in the United States is characterized by struggle and triumph.  It is suggested that this attitude of resistance and triumph carries over to present day thoughts about death and dying in African American culture.  This line of thought may lean towards a preference for curative treatments over the comfort care provided by hospices nationwide.

Kaitlyn Henderson of Passages Hospice documents in her blog post on February 21, 2013 that there is a lack of access to quality health care in the African American community.  Inequality has long been a problem in the United States.  Present day statistics regarding mortality rates of African Americans support the idea that inequality still exists in our culture.  A clear, strong disparity in health of African Americans as compared to other U.S. populations can be seen here in numbers from the Center for Disease Control.

Another key hurdle in providing fair and equal health care to all populations is awareness.  All populations show a lack of knowledge about hospice services in polls.  Few of those who understand the concept of hospice know that hospice appropriate patients are completed covered under Medicare if they choose a palliative approach to treating illness.  Hospice may not be the right choice for everyone based off of personal preferences, but it still the duty of all who are familiar with hospice to spread the positive word.  Helping others understand that hospice is not giving up or accepting defeat in the face of adversity is essential for the future of hospice and helping others understand their health care options. 

For further reading, take a look at this Washington Post Article written by Rob Stein in 2007 titled At the End of Life, a Racial Divide.

About Medi Hospice

It is the goal of Medi Hospice to help ALL of our patients diagnosed with life limiting illness live as fully as possible until the end.  Ensuring patients experiencing the highest quality of life without pain is a priority of our staff.  Through the compassionate care of nurses and aides, volunteers, social workers assessing psychological needs, and chaplains who look to spiritually nurture our patients and their families, our hospice team seeks to implement a system of total and complete care that eases the transition from life to death.  The mantra of hospice can often be articulated as "death with dignity" and "living until the end."  None of us can avoid death.  Death is most surely a part of life as is birth.  Understanding that, we can all do our best to enjoy the time and life we have together.  If you are interested in learning more about hospice or becoming a hospice volunteer, please contact Travis Kennedy,Volunteer Coordinator, at 804-282-4301.

A Pink October

A Pink October.

Lipstick, cleats, cookies, and guns - they have all been covered in pink!

Throughout the month of October you may have been exposed to the growing Breast Cancer Awareness movement washing pink over the country.  You would be hard pressed to ignore this color soaked initiative - from shopping malls and grocery stores to your favorite websites and sporting events.  A saturation of pink pop culture could be found in advertisements, food packaging, and everything in between, all in the name of a cure .  It would seem every organization and company under the sun is a champion of the cause with intentions of raising funds for research of the disease that is estimated to kill 39,510 women this year with an estimated 226,870 being diagnosed.

In evaluation of these numbers, you can see breast cancer's impact is wide spread in the United States.  Yet other illnesses are more deadly in women.  For instance, heart disease kills the most women each year of any disease.  Still it fails to garner the same far reaching scope of promotion and awareness.  Breast cancer has spurred a giant industry of profits and donated millions in charitable funds each year, but why the mass marketing of this particular cause?  The reasoning can likely be attributed to Susan G. Komen Foundation's monumental efforts to find a cure and the creation of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month by a pharmaceutical company now named AstraZeneca.

Where ever people can take sides, controversial debate will soon ensue.  The topic of breast cancer awareness is no different.  Cancer advocates have come out against all the warm and fuzzies of a Pink October, criticizing the methods used to raise awareness.  Most notable of these groups are those diagnosed with breast cancer.

The ribbon is designed to prompt a cheery response, a dire contrast in feelings compared to those whose lives are fading to black because the cancer has ravaged their bodies.  These people are seriously ill.  It is a daily struggle for them.  Curative treatments such as chemotherapy can break down the ravenous cancer, but may cause great pain and hardship.  Patients can lose the simple freedoms of eating, drinking and many other routine activities often taken for granted.  Some feel they do not have permission to experience their own feelings of grief and pain.  They are encouraged to "fight" cancer, be a "solider" against the disease, stay strong, and become a "survivor".  Being bombarded with positivity can be draining.  It can make individuals suffering feel obligated to paste on a happy face, bottling their emotions in the midst of difficult circumstances.  Grief is a natural reaction to such traumatizing situations of lose and hurt.

Some say the disease has been romanticized into a cutesy affair of "feminity" rallying for support with pleasant pink ribbons while avoiding the harsh realities of pain and death that come along with diagnosis.  Also, critics contend measures to prevent the cancer are not discussed enough among awareness promoting companies.  These same companies marketing pink products at times allegedly sell products that actually cause cancer or the companies pocket much of the profit rather than donating to charity.  "Save the boobies!" we proclaim.  It is all in good humor and an approach to getting the conversation on breast cancer awareness started, but the tactics and intent of "pinkwashing" are more frequently being called into question.
Dozens of rip-roaring articles, voices defending or antagonizing the cause, have washed over the internet.  According to this Huffington Post article by AP journalist Kevin Begos, the Susan G. Komen Foundation began the first association of pink ribbons with breast cancer at a New York City race for cancer survivors.  Flashy pink displays have increasingly flooded the market since that time and proved nothing less than a smashing success in expanding of the brand.

Since its founding in 1982, the Susan G. Komen Foundation has given $685 million to research and $1.3 billion to community programs geared toward helping people get mammograms for early detection of the disease.  The spokesperson of Susan G. Komen has voiced an opinion unapologetic to criticism from detractors.  The organization maintains the stance that research costs lots of money and money is what is required to solve this problem.

Creators of these campaigns have engineered clever ways of incorporating pink into their marketing efforts, furthering the reach of "pinkwashing".  See the photos below for more examples of pink ads that spread awareness.

Though bizarre in some eyes, supporters have said that some advertisements has helped reach new audiences, potentially saving.  This Forbes article by Amy Westervelt demonstrates each side to the breast cancer argument.  It also relates a story of a family eating dinner around a pink KFC bucket promoting breast cancer awareness in which a mother's children saw the bucket and encouraged her to go to the doctor for a check-up.  Stories such as this demonstrate some marketer's reasoning for pushing the pink agenda.  Put plain and simple: it has an impact

What do you think?  Has pink washing gone too far?  Is the out pouring of support well meaning, but misplaced?  Are critics who say we are over looking more dangerous diseases making a valid point?  Or are the millions donated to fight this disease going to a good cause, where a quality marketing approach is only assisting in the search for a cure?


Let me know what you think!  Check out more links below for further reading!  And while you're at it, if you would like to have a real impact on patients with cancer and other terminal illnesses by visiting them as a hospice volunteer, please contact our office, Medi Home Health & Hospice at (804)732-0108 to find out more.

Barbara Ehrennreich - Welcome to Cancerland

Breast Cancer Advocates Reject "Pinkwashing"