AANHPI Leadership Council member Mahina Paishon-Duarte

Coinciding with Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Compassion & Choices has formed the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Leadership Council. Following the model established with our impactful African American and Latino leadership councils, this new group will explore innovative ways to educate, empower and elevate work already being done in AANHPI communities to improve end-of-life care, and advance our strategic goal of ensuring all Americans can chart an end-of-life journey that is aligned with their personal priorities, family values and spiritual beliefs.

“We are excited that this group of community leaders will help us continue working to ensure that everyone may have access to the full range of end-of-life care options,” said Compassion & Choices Chief Advocacy Officer Charmaine Manansala. “Their perspectives, experiences and expertise will help us reframe what end-of-life choices mean to our communities, such as changing perceptions of hospice and palliative care, and strategize enhancements to Compassion & Choices’ work specific to the needs of the AANHPI community.”

Studies have shown that Asian Americans are less likely to fill out advance healthcare directives and to utilize their Medicare hospice benefits at the end of life.

“There are remarkable advances in medicine, but in some situations, the medical treatments and technology basically prolong the dying process with no realistic chance of recovery,” said AANHPI Council member Dr. Mitsuo Tomita, a University of California San Diego Medical School assistant clinical professor and retired family medicine practitioner. “Individuals should have the ability and choice with modern medicine to ease their end-of-life suffering with palliative care, and in addition, they should have the choice to hasten their dying instead of suffering and dying. I am delighted to be part of Compassion & Choices’ new AANHPI Council to help improve end-of-life care and increase awareness of choice and control over the end of life.”

“I came to Compassion & Choices as a fearful, grieving daughter who just wanted to help my dying mother find peace,” said AANHPI Council member and advocate Monona Yin. “I found that and much more — caring advisors, practical resources and a community of people who are willing to speak the truth and do something about it; namely, that we will all die one day, and each of us deserves to leave this life with dignity and agency. I am proud to serve on Compassion & Choices’ new council to increase awareness and engagement among Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities — who are too often left out of this essential conversation.”

“As a Native Hawaiian community leader, I have a responsibility to elevate the importance of community and culture with the type of compassionate care Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders need,” said AAHNPI council member and advocate Mahina Paishon-Duarte. ”Though we share many commonalities, our needs are not identical. As a result, our health needs and challenges are just as varied and diverse as we are, including high quality of end-of-life care and comprehensive support for end-of-life planning.”

Learn more about our AANHPI Leadership Council and read AAPI Heritage Month blogs from council member Mahina Paishon-Duarte and Compassion & Choices Senior Legislative Counsel Jaspreet Chowdhary.  

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