Watching things bloom this time of year makes me think a lot about End of Life Choices California and how we too are growing. 

I am pleased and honored to share that I am no longer the “acting volunteer executive director” which I have been since our humble beginnings, as the Board of Directors recently voted to appoint me as our official Executive Director.

When the other founding directors and I started EOLCCA back in the spring of 2019, our vision was to help people access a peaceful death. Big vision! We were driven by the daunting realization of how few people, doctors, and hospices knew about California’s at the time newer End of Life Option Act legalizing medical aid in dying (MAiD), as well as all the other end-of-life options.

On our YouTube channel

As part of our ongoing effort to educate the public and health care providers about the law, we have created a short video designed to reach a broad audience. I am delighted to share it with you here.

Please take 3 minutes to learn about the positive impact we have on peoples’ lives.

I invite you to share it with your own networks so more people can be aware of this law and how to reach us.

To educate and empower

We continue the work we started back in 2019 with high hopes and dreams of continued growth and the ability to reach, educate and empower Californians so they know what all their end-of-life options are, and how to access them. One of our greatest satisfactions has been the specialized presentations we have provided to hospices. We have had the privilege of providing education to dozens of hospices throughout the state – from their MDs, RNs and MSWs to their bereavement counselors and volunteers.

To schedule a presentation, please contact our Speaker’s Bureau coordinator at speaker@endoflifechoicesca.org

Dedication

Day to day, on the ground, our dedicated cadre of Client Volunteers provide the backbone of our operation. In 2023 alone, we have already fielded calls and emails from nearly 500 people. Our amazing volunteers offer support and guidance to empower individuals to navigate the medical system and effectively communicate their end-of-life wishes. We have built a rich resource center over the years so they can provide information about physicians willing to prescribe MAiD, supportive hospices with physicians who prescribe MAiD, and other pertinent support services in their community. In addition, our volunteers are skillfully trained and honored to be present bedside to support the family or loved ones on the day the client chooses to take medical aid in dying.  

Sharing and giving

We are so grateful to the many supporters of EOLCCA who are helping us reach a larger audience by sharing our video widely. For more information about how you can support our mission through a tax-deductible gift, please visit our donation page.  Every donation, large and small, is deeply appreciated and helps us reach more people to ensure they are able to access the end-of-life care and dying that they want.

In the words of Henry David Thoreau, “…one must maintain a little bit of summer, even in the middle of winter.”  We feel the work we do provides just that: brings the lightness of summer to an often-wintry time for those facing the end of their lives. 

Best wishes for a lovely summer.

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EOLCCA supports a strong team of experienced volunteers throughout the state, ready to help anyone, anywhere in California free of charge with information and support regarding all end-of-life planning and choices, including aid in dying through the California End of Life Option Act. You can find comprehensive information on our user-friendly website. To support our work, or request an educational presentation, please visit ways to help.  Thank you for your support!