Compassion & Choices
compandchoices.bsky.social
Compassion & Choices
@compandchoices.bsky.social
For #GivingTuesday, we’re sharing a moving story about choice, love, and dignity at the end of life.

Her words offer a powerful reminder of why compassionate options matter.

https://ow.ly/XLYi50XvMbF
December 2, 2025 at 5:35 PM
At the Indian American Impact Summit, Compassion & Choices joined a conversation about how to talk about end of life with love, honesty, and respect across generations.

Read how to start these meaningful conversations:
https://ow.ly/aVK450XrGw3

#EndOfLifePlanning
How to talk about end of life: lessons from the Indian American Impact Summit - Compassion & Choices
At the 2025 Indian American Impact Summit, Jaspreet Chowdhary, Senior Legislative Counsel at Compassion & Choices joined a panel exploring cross-generational leadership, caregiving, and how South Asians are showing up at every age to mobilize and care for their communities. Within that wider discussion, Compassion & Choices contributed a practical…
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November 26, 2025 at 9:35 PM
A promise kept. 💜

Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 403, making California’s End of Life Option Act permanent, fulfilling the promise Dan Diaz made to his late wife, Brittany Maynard.

Her story sparked a nationwide movement for compassionate end-of-life options.
🔗 https://ow.ly/V3Nb50Xmm5P
A new victory — and a promise fulfilled - Compassion & Choices
By Dan Diaz When my wife, Brittany Maynard, died in 2014, only four states had authorized medical aid in dying. We had to leave our home in California for Oregon so that Brittany could experience a gentle death rather than endure the horrific fate dictated by an aggressive brain tumor. …
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November 24, 2025 at 4:10 PM
We all deserve to be honored, in life & in death.

On #TransDayOfRemembrance, we mourn the trans lives lost too soon and honor the strength and resilience of the trans community.

Hear death doula David Copeland reflect on these realities and his work with LGBTQ+ people. https://ow.ly/zyVb50Xu19e
Serving in the In-Between: Death Doulas Holding LGBTQ+ Legacy
Meet David Copeland, a death doula who serves the LGBTQ+ community with compassion and dedication. From his family's roots as sharecroppers in Selma, Alabama...
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November 20, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Nancy Uden lived with courage and conviction, advocating for medical aid in dying even as she faced an incurable brain cancer.

“We all deserve autonomy - the right to make our own decisions about life and death.”

Read Nancy’s story: https://ow.ly/WI7I50XrGos

#EndOfLifeChoices
Nancy Uden - Compassion & Choices
Nancy Uden shared her story in October of 2023. I had a car accident on November 30, 2022, caused by a seizure that was later attributed to a benign brain tumor. A second opinion diagnosis from Mayo Clinic in January 2023 was a glioblastoma multiforme — brain cancer. I sought…
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November 18, 2025 at 9:35 PM
💛 “Each document is a portrait of a life changed, a life honored, a future planned.”

Steph Routh shares how becoming a notary public opened unexpected doors to connection and community, especially when helping people complete advance directives.

Read her heartfelt story: https://ow.ly/3tpO50XqEU6
Your Friendly Neighborhood Notary - Compassion & Choices
By Steph Routh When I became a notary public a few years ago, I didn’t appreciate at the time what a meaningful journey I was embarking on. I just thought I’d be able to help some neighbors and friends complete paperwork they suddenly needed to take care of or had…
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November 18, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Dr. Paulina Sosa-Quintanilla is helping Latino families turn grief into action.
Through Latinx Voces and her partnership with Compassion & Choices, she’s creating safe spaces for culturally sensitive end-of-life conversations - one platica at a time.

Learn more:
🔗 https://ow.ly/Rmnq50XmlT6
How Dr. Paulina Sosa-Quintanilla is sparking end-of-life conversations - Compassion & Choices
Two weeks before my grandmother passed, she told me, “Paulina, whenever I’m not here anymore, I want you to know I love you, and that will never change.” It was like she had an inkling that her time was near.   But when she died a few weeks later, my family…
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November 18, 2025 at 1:10 AM
This Giving Tuesday, our theme says it all: Your wishes. Our mission.

We’re working for a future where everyone can make their own end-of-life decisions.

Every donation made to Compassion & Choices will be matched 100%. https://ow.ly/FsLI50XrGCg

#GivingTuesday
Giving Tuesday - Compassion & Choices
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November 16, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Everyone deserves the right to make their own end-of-life decisions.

Michigan’s “pregnancy exclusion” denies that right. Compassion Legal is challenging this unconstitutional law to protect patient autonomy and equality.

Read more about the new lawsuit: https://ow.ly/nbQh50XmlBN

#EndOfLifeCare
Compassion Legal files new lawsuit challenging pregnancy exclusion in Michigan - Compassion & Choices
As an emergency medical physician, Dr. Viktoria Koskenoja has seen firsthand how life can change in an instant. She also knows how protracted the dying process can be.  This gave her good reason to complete an advance directive after giving birth to her first child: Having witnessed her own mother’s…
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November 11, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Gov. Pritzker has a chance to bring compassion to the end of life in Illinois.

By signing the End-of-Life Options Act, he can honor advocates like Deb Robertson, who’ve fought to give terminally ill people the choice to die on their own terms.

https://ow.ly/nAPr50XnaGU
Gov. JB Pritzker mulling bill passed by lawmakers to make Illinois a 'right-to-die' state
The polarizing legislation that narrowly passed the Illinois General Assembly would allow adults diagnosed with six months or less to live to be prescribed medication to end their own lives.
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November 6, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Still thinking about enrolling in our Advance Care Planning (ACP) Certificate Program?

This continuing education program is designed to increase your competence and confidence facilitating conversations about ACP!

Save your spot today!
https://ow.ly/1nzA50Xkki1
November 5, 2025 at 5:45 PM
An interview with Isabella Carr, M.Div., founder of Deathfat Doula.

She shares how weight stigma shapes end-of-life experiences, the importance of fat liberation in death care, and how we can all plan for care that honors every body.

Watch now: https://ow.ly/ItSW50XeVVZ
Weight Stigma at the End of Life: A Conversation with Death Doula Isabella Carr
Isabella Carr, M.Div., is the founder of Deathfat Doula and served as Compassion & Choices’ 2024–2025 Engagement Fellow. In this powerful interview, she high...
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November 4, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Women make up almost 2/3 of Americans living with Alzheimer’s yet it’s rarely seen as a women’s health issue.

A new JAMA study explores why, pointing to biological, hormonal & social factors that put women at greater risk.

🧠 Learn more: https://ow.ly/NolS50XgOPT
#Alzheimers #WomensHealth
What we know about why Alzheimer’s disproportionately affects women - Compassion & Choices
Of the over 7 million Americans estimated to have Alzheimer's disease, nearly two-thirds are people assigned female at birth (AFAB). In fact, women over the age of 60 are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's as breast cancer. Yet it is often not discussed as a women's health issue, or…
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November 4, 2025 at 8:00 PM
We are thrilled to share that the Illinois End of Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act has passed the state senate and is now on the way to @govpritzker ’s desk to be signed into law.
October 31, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Your online life is part of your legacy.

Our blog shares five practical steps to help ensure your loved ones can access your photos, accounts, and memories when you’re gone.

Plan with compassion.

Read more: https://ow.ly/vUjz50XbfsT
5 tips to make sure your digital life reflects your end-of-life wishes - Compassion & Choices
Your online life is part of your legacy. Without clear direction, loved ones may face account lockouts, lost memories, or legal hurdles at a time of confusion and grief when clarity and compassion matter most. Taking time to organize your digital assets helps ensure your values are honored and your…
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October 29, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Meet David Copeland, a death doula dedicated to serving the LGBTQ+ community with compassion and care.

From his roots in Selma, Alabama, to his work in Cincinnati, David helps people navigate end-of-life care, chosen family, and legacy with dignity.

Watch his story: https://ow.ly/BCEr50XbfV0
October 27, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Emergency rooms save lives, but for people near life’s end, aggressive treatment can do more harm than good.

Dr. True McMahan brings palliative care to the ER so patients’ wishes guide the care.

“Every specialty should know palliative care, especially emergency medicine.” https://ow.ly/JOR150Xa93Q
Emergency medicine and end-of-life care: A holistic approach - Compassion & Choices
Emergency rooms excel at resuscitating, stabilizing, and saving lives. This care is essential for many individuals, but for patients who are terminally ill or nearing the end of life, aggressive interventions can be traumatic and misaligned with their wishes. Dr. True McMahan, an emergency physician in California, has often felt…
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October 24, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Compassion & Choices and The Contemplative Doula have launched The Death Literacy Project, supporting educators who are helping communities across the U.S. talk about death, dying, and end-of-life care with confidence and compassion.

Read more: https://ow.ly/9bLZ50Xbibp
October 22, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Compassion Legal’s impact is growing.

• Death doulas win in Indiana
• Challenging the Kansas “Pregnancy Exclusion” law
• Fighting residency restrictions in Colorado & New Jersey

These cases are shaping the future of end-of-life care:
https://ow.ly/A0lq50XatsJ
#EndOfLifeOptions #LegalAdvocacy
Legal Advocacy Updates: Defending the Future of End-of-Life Care - Compassion & Choices
The momentum of our legal advocacy continues to grow. With this year’s launch of Compassion Legal — the nation’s first nonprofit law firm for end-of-life rights — we’re breaking new ground in courts across the country. Here are the latest updates. Death Doulas Win in Indiana On August 28, 2025,…
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October 17, 2025 at 5:10 PM
A new Colorado report shows improved access to medical aid in dying — 28% more patients in 2024 after key law updates. Thoughtful reforms mean more people can choose care that reflects their values.
https://ow.ly/fl0T50XatEE
Colorado Report Shows Improved Access to Medical Aid in Dying with Updated Law - Compassion & Choices
August 7 marked one year since legislation to improve access to Colorado's End-of-Life Options Act was enacted. Signed by Governor Jared Polis last June, SB68 shortened the mandatory minimum waiting period between oral requests for a medical aid-in-dying prescription from 15 days to seven days, allowing a prescribing provider to…
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October 15, 2025 at 5:10 PM
The government shutdown has real consequences for end-of-life care.

Telehealth access has been rolled back, hospice programs face uncertainty, and vulnerable patients are feeling the impact.

Learn what’s changing and how we are responding:
https://ow.ly/gZBT50Xatqs
How the 2025 Government Shutdown Affects Your End-of-Life Care - Compassion & Choices
As the government shutdown enters its tenth day, you might be wondering how this is going to impact patient-directed care at the end of life. We’ve got you covered! Here are some answers to people’s most pressing questions about what this means for your end-of-life options.  What is happening with…
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October 14, 2025 at 5:10 PM
As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, we're helping Massachusetts communities begin end-of-life planning and overcome cultural and language barriers.

“It’s peace of mind for you and your loved ones." - Leslie Martinez Ramirez, Compassion & Choices.

Public News Service
https://ow.ly/bGE650XaECi
October 13, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Roseana Spangler-Sims chose peace in her final weeks with loved ones. Her story in People magazine shows the comfort of facing death without fear. "I’m ready to go." Read more: https://ow.ly/8CPh50X9Xg4 #EndOfLifeOptions #CompassionAndChoices #DignityInDeath
More at peace than I’ve ever been - Compassion & Choices
Compassion & Choices advocate Roseana Spangler-Sims wanted to have some say in what the end of her life looked like. After enduring more than a year of treatment for stage 4 pancreatic cancer with little to show for it other than the savage side effects, she decided it was time. …
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October 13, 2025 at 11:05 AM