The one time he opted for radiation was to prevent a tumor on his spine from causing paralysis. But he never confused improving his quality of life with any false hopes for extending the quantity. His point strikes at the core of debate in the medical profession, especially when palliative care physicians and, say, surgeons meet in the same conference room. There are, of course, no easy answers. He is founder and director of the Zen Hospice Project in San Francisco featured in the PBS series.
Death is much more than that.
It's about relationships. We have observed some incredible reconciliations between family members when a person dies in hospice. Hospice got on the radar screen first, but what we try to emphasize about palliative care is that it is a continuum. We want to be companions to patients. If we get to meet them earlier enough, we can be that companion for years.