Welcome back to the Healthy Mouth Movement Podcast! Today, we have an extraordinary guest who is making waves in the realm of patient-directed end-of-life care. Kim Callanan is not only a nonprofit leader and motivational speaker but also a bestselling author known for her expertise in organizational management, cultural intelligence, and end-of-life care. As the CEO of Compassion & Choices, Kim leads the largest national nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering patients to make their own end-of-life care decisions.

In this episode, we dive deep into Kim’s journey and the impactful work she’s doing. We'll explore her extensive experience working with terminally ill advocates who live their remaining time with courage, purpose, and intentionality. We'll also discuss our collaborative work on the book "Plan a Life You Love: A Woman’s Guide to Health, Wealth, and Happiness Without Limitations," which brings together nine incredible women sharing their unique perspectives on living life to the fullest.

Key Takeaways: 

• Insights on the unique perspectives brought by the book’s nine co-authors, including experiences of overcoming terminal illnesses like cancer.
• Kim explains the mission of Compassion & Choices to advocate for laws supporting patient-directed end-of-life care, including medical aid in dying.
• Medical aid in dying allows mentally competent, terminally ill patients with a prognosis of six months or less to obtain a prescription to end their suffering if they choose.
• Discussion on the political landscape of medical aid in dying, noting that while seven out of ten Americans support it, legislation varies across states.
• The goal to pass medical aid in dying laws in every state to ensure all terminally ill patients have this option.
• Kim shares observations from working with terminally ill advocates who live their lives with urgency and intention.
• Insights from her book chapter, "Wisdom from the Brink: Lessons for Leading a More Meaningful Life," highlighting how adopting a terminal approach to life can lead to profound personal changes.
• The importance of acknowledging our own mortality to live more meaningful lives.
• Personal anecdotes from Kim about how changing perspectives can improve relationships and reduce stress over trivial matters.
• Discussion on the significance of legacy planning and making amends before it's too late.
• Encouraging listeners to think about their impact and make meaningful connections now, rather than waiting until the end of life.

Quotes: 

“In some ways, this terminal diagnosis has been a blessing. I don’t think I was really living until I got this diagnosis and death was facing me in the mirror.” -Kim Callinan

“It’s always so sad to me to watch the experience of someone waiting until the very end of their life to make amends. How would I live differently if I were to have that terminal diagnosis and start making those changes in your life now?”  -Kim Callinan

“When I got sick, I couldn’t do a lot of things and had to have friends and family take care of me. It changed my perspective, and those little things that bothered me before weren’t that big of a deal anymore.”- Sheree Wertz

Connect with Kim Callanan:

• Website: Compassion & Choices
• LinkedIn: Kim Callinan

Books Mentioned

Plan A Life You Love

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