Dr. Debra Oliver: Finding hope with terminal illness

Finding hope with terminal illness is possible! Dr. Debra Parker Oliver is the Ira Kodner Professor of Research in Supportive Care at Washington University. She has a Masters of Social Work and PhD in Rural Sociology from the University of Missouri. She was a hospice social worker and administrator in three hospice programs for a total of more than 20 years. After getting her doctorate she continued her commitment to the improvement of hospice care through research with more than 200 peer -reviewed articles related to palliative and hospice care. In an effort to teach and advocate for those facing cancer and terminal illness Debbie and her husband David created a blog to share their journey with others.

In episode 475 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out why Dr. Oliver chose Missouri Western State University for her undergraduate experience, why she wanted to dedicate her life to hospice social work, how her husband David was able to tell all the people he loved that he had a terminal cancer illness, what is the right way to love someone through that grief experience, what are some strategies to find hope, how you can get doctors to listen to you, advice to college students who prefer to not think about death and dying, and what it was like to receive the Project Death in America Community Education Award from American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine care two weeks before David passed away.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkUzJMuGeTk