Our Volunteers

“My sister, Dad and I worked with a nurse at VCU’s Center for Advanced Health Management, who had completed the Honoring Choices training, to do advance care planning for my dad over the summer. Lisa was great … she made a tough process very manageable. Thanks to the Academy for doing this important work! While we’ve got a road ahead of us, completing Honoring Choices gives us a point of reference as we navigate the future.”

“By promoting and facilitating these conversations, Honoring Choices helps families and physicians understand and honor individual patient’s choices about their care. We have already seen that this can make the time spent together in the final days of life better for all.”

“The Honoring Choices facilitator training helped both me, as a physician, and [our] residents learn new skills for addressing end of life issues with patients and their families. We were taught specific tools for asking questions about sensitive issues and feelings in an unbiased and nonjudgmental manner. These are skills only briefly covered in a traditional medical school curriculum and will be useful throughout their careers.”

“My patient is …homebound and because of his multiple chronic medical conditions he has difficulty getting out to medical appointments. He resides alone and his two living relatives live out of state. He wanted to participate in an Honoring Choices discussion because he knew he needed to make some important decisions for his future care and felt this was particularly necessary with his family being out of town. Having gone through the process he now feels that both of his agents understand much better his wishes and their roles. He says that they now know when to get involved and ask questions.”

“Since my time as an Honoring Choices facilitator, I have experienced how the gift of a conversation benefits patients and families as they prepare for the unexpected. During conversations, I see people journey from apprehension, in discussing a topic that emulates vulnerability, to a place of ‘rightness’ once they have found their voice and expressed their desires. Families have said that knowing their loved one’s wishes gives them peace even though the situation they are preparing for will bring pain. To me, this program is beneficial because it offers clarity in the midst of impending heartache.”

“Honoring Choices has been invaluable to overall patient care and family experience. This is one of many stories: I sat down with a patient and his large family for the Honoring Choices conversation. He had CRF [chronic renal failure] and ESRD [endstage renal disease] and (eventually transitioned) to hospice. His transition was smooth, the family experience was wonderful, and his expressed wishes were well-respected. I know Honoring Choices has improved overall patient and family satisfaction.”