A Journey Into The Human Experience Of Incurable Disease

Incurable disease is a natural phenomenon, inherent to the human condition. This book critically investigates the uniquely human experience of and response to illness and treatment, which affects the body, the mind, and the very core of human existence and identity. Uncertainties regarding the outcomes of laboratory and other investigations that aid in the diagnosis and assessment of disease exacerbate the apprehension inherent to the diagnosis of incurable disease. An excessively scientific approach may disregard the suffering patient. The book begins by analysing the nature, meaning and significance of hope in the context of disease, and goes on to reflect on the language of medicine and the role of emotion, ideology and politics in disease treatment and research. The epilogue reflects on healing as distinct from physical cures. Without hope, there is no future; without healing, no holistic recovery. The final chapters are devoted to the end-of-life period of this journey. This book is a revision, extension, and reconceptualization of the original Afrikaans publication Hoop, Heling en Harmonie: Dink Nuut Oor Siekte en Genesing, winner of the 2021 Andrew Murray Prize for Theological Publications.

Incurable disease is a natural phenomenon, inherent to the human condition. This book critically investigates the uniquely human experience of and response to illness and treatment, which affects the body, the mind, and the very core of human existence and identity. Uncertainties regarding the outcomes of laboratory and other investigations that aid in the diagnosis and assessment of disease exacerbate the apprehension inherent to the diagnosis of incurable disease. An excessively scientific approach may disregard the suffering patient. The book begins by analysing the nature, meaning and significance of hope in the context of disease, and goes on to reflect on the language of medicine and the role of emotion, ideology and politics in disease treatment and research. The epilogue reflects on healing as distinct from physical cures. Without hope, there is no future; without healing, no holistic recovery. The final chapters are devoted to the end-of-life period of this journey. This book is a revision, extension, and reconceptualization of the original Afrikaans publication Hoop, Heling en Harmonie: Dink Nuut Oor Siekte en Genesing, winner of the 2021 Andrew Murray Prize for Theological Publications.

Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman is widely recognized as a leader in bringing spiritual innovation into modern Jewish life and worship. Now, drawing on a lifetime of study, he explores the Jewish way of being in the world-the Jewish relationship to God and to questions of human purpose that lie just below the surface of biblical and rabbinic literature.

Recognized as the father of palliative care in North America, Balfour Mount facilitated a sea change in medical practice by foregrounding concern for the whole person facing incurable illness. In this intimate and far-reaching memoir, Mount leads the reader through the formative moments and milestones of his personal and professional life as they intersected with the history of medical treatment over the last fifty years. Mount's lifelong pursuit of understanding the needs of dying patients began during his training as a surgical oncologist at Montreal's Royal Victoria Hospital in the 1960s. He established the first comprehensive clinical program for end-of-life care in a teaching hospital in 1975 at McGill University's Royal Victoria Hospital, thus leading the charge for palliative medicine as a new specialty. His journey included collaboration with two storied healthcare innovators, British hospice pioneer Dame Cicely Saunders and American psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, leading to a more fulsome understanding of the physical, psychosocial, and existential or spiritual needs of patients, their families, and their caregivers in the health care setting. This compelling narrative documents how the 'Royal Vic' team became internationally recognized as effective advocates of quality of life at the crossroad between life and death. From meetings with Viktor Frankl, the Dalai Lama and other teachers, to a memorable telephone chat with Mother Teresa, Mount recalls with appreciation, humour and humility, the places and people that helped to shed light on this universal human experience.

The relationship between spirituality and healthcare is historical, intellectual and practical, and it has now emerged as a significant field in health research, healthcare policy and clinical practice and training. Understanding health and wellbeing requires addressing spiritual and existential issues, and healthcare is therefore challenged to respond to the ways spirituality is experienced and expressed in illness, suffering, healing and loss. If healthcare has compassionate regard for the humanity of those it serves, it is faced with questions about how it understands and interprets spirituality, what resources it should make available and how these are organised, and the ways in which spirituality shapes and informs the purpose and practice of healthcare? These questions are the basis for this resource, which presents a coherent field of enquiry, discussion and debate that is interdisciplinary, international and vibrant. There is a growing corpus of articles in medical and healthcare journals on spirituality in addition to a wide range of literature, but there has been no attempt so far to publish a standard text on this subject. Spirituality in Healthcare is an authoritative reference on the subject providing unequalled coverage, critical depth and an integrated source of key topics. Divided into six sections including practice, research, policy and training, the project brings together international contributions from scholars in the field to provide a unique and stimulating resource.

Like most people, Alex had big plans for his life. A successful career on Wall Street, a loving family, and a beautiful home—he was living the American dream. Then, the unthinkable happened. At thirty-four years old Alex was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The devastating news sent him tumbling to the depths of depression and alcoholism—Alex thought he’d lost it all! Seven years later, he elected to have Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery—a decision that changed the course of his life forever. He went from living his plans to living his dreams. Riding a bike to the top of a volcano, Alex achieved a vision he’d never imagined possible. Standing on the summit, he discovered a new world of unlimited possibilities. World Without Limit is a story of inspiration and hope, a true-life’s journey from promising plans to unbounded misfortune and back to unlimited possibility. Helping us to see the tragic circumstances of life, perhaps for the first time, with loving and understanding eyes.

In this ground-breaking new work, Patrick J McEvoy connects with healthcare professionals, patients and illness to presenting an entirely new way to address chronic disease management.By reflecting on the very nature of chronic disease, rather than focusing on its consequences, the book sheds new light on the complex realities of general practice,