So as you are planning your last few donations, I want to urge you to consider donating to the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine's Shaping the Future Campaign.  To honor the 25th anniversary of the Academy and help impact the next 25 years, the Academy has embarked on it's first every charitable campaign. The goal is $1.5 million dollars to help with advocacy, education and workforce issues.

I have been lucky enough to co-chair this campaign along with Dr. Ira Byock and Dr. Christine Ritchie. When I heard about this campaign starting, I knew I wanted to be on it.  Over the past decade I have seen all the good work the members of AAHPM have done collectively.  But the majority of this has been done on a volunteer basis with very tight budgets, and with participants always wishing they could do more.  As all of us clearly understand, to maintain inertia and dream big you need resources.  We have great members, who are smart, articulate and passionate about what they do.  We have some resources, but the 'dream big' ideas can get pushed aside for the more tactical day to day issues.

So if you have big dreams for what the future can bring to patients and the professionals of hospice and palliative care, I urge you to donate tonight to the Shaping The Future Campaign.  I have not made a direct ask to you, the Pallimed readership, until right now. No matter how big or how small, please take this opportunity to invest in yourself and your profession.