Annie died from breast cancer at the age of 38. Her husband Nick was devastated. Their daughter was only two. They circled the globe in search of a cure for her metastatic cancer. They pulled in every chit they had. Nick combed the literature, created a macrobiotic diet, held the emotionally stable space, and left his chiropractic practice to spend all of his time helping Annie and caring for Anna.

Long conversations with Nick unveiled details of how they together faced the end of Annie's life. Nick was aching to have conversations about Annie's last wishes, about her legacy, about how she would like him to raise their daughter without her. Annie wanted to fight, and even on her last day, she was asking about research on a new medication that might help her.

Dear New School Friends,

Nick and Annie's story is poignant and bittersweet; and it is not uncommon. So often one person wishes to hold death far distant, even as it hovers close by, whereas loved ones hope to explore what is to come, what it means, where they have been and where they will go. Sometimes it is the person dying who wishes to converse, sometimes it is the family. Sometimes everyone is willing, sometimes no one is.

For the past 20 years, I have spent the lion's share of my time working to change what we know and do about cancer. I've helped create multiple cancer advocacy groups; run nonprofit organizations that have funded hundreds of millions of dollars in research; testified on Capitol Hill and spoken at the White House; visited cancer hospitals in China, Brazil, Hungary, Chile - around the world and around this country. This work has led me to homes in Princeton, Dallas, Washington, and Bolinas, and my heart has led me into the lives of countless wonderful beings who have been diagnosed with cancer, all too many of whom have died. Some of their stories are grand, and some are simple. Some of them had a beautiful death, while some were tragic.

We seek prevention, hope for cures, and work to enhance quality of life for people with life-threatening illnesses. It is also wise to converse about death. Perhaps we can make dialog about the end of life a bit less fraught, a bit easier, a bit more common. In so doing, we may be able to help people navigate the unknowns at the end of life, seek the guidance and care that is available, and die peacefully when that time comes. It is in this spirit that we in the Commonweal community gather to explore the end of life. Our plan is not to teach, but to engage the conversation with a belief that, in doing so, we can be of service to life.

We hope you will join us in our exploration!

Susan Braun

Executive Director, Commonweal