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    Our Mission Compassion & Choices improves care, expands options and empowers everyone to chart their end-of-life journey.
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    Leadership, Board & Committees Meet our Senior Leadership and esteemed Board and Committee members
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    Our Work Compassion & Choices is the nation’s oldest, largest and most active nonprofit working to improve care, expand options and empower everyone to chart their end-of-life journey.
About Us Continued
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    Healthcare Equity at the End of Life Compassion & Choices is working in partnership with our Leadership Councils and partner organizations to address inequities in end-of-life care and planning.
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    Dementia End-of-Life Care We're working to transform how people die with dementia to ensure people are aware, empowered and supported in getting the care they want – or do not want – should dementia take hold.
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    Medical Aid in Dying Compassion & Choices is leading efforts to authorize, implement and defend medical aid in dying so all terminally ill people who are eligible will have access to the full range of end-of-life care options.
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    Voluntarily Stop Eating and Drinking Compassion & Choices is working to raise awareness about the option of voluntarily stopping eating and drinking.
Our Issues Continued
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    Tools to Finish Strong Access all of our end-of-life planning tools to Finish Strong
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    End of Life Consultation Services Our End-of-Life Consultation Program (EOLC) provides confidential, nonjudgmental, professional support around end-of-life planning, anywhere in the country.
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    Resources for Clinicians We partner with providers across the country to create and distribute training and resources for clinicians.
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    Materials Everything we do at Compassion & Choices is about empowering patients to claim their voice and agency in end-of-life care.
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    Past Webinar Archive Join our webinar series as we invite medical and health experts, end-of-life professionals, policy makers and story tellers to give you the information you need to navigate your care preferences for the end of life.
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Take Action Continued
  • Leave A Legacy
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  • Press Room keyboard_arrow_down
    • event
      Events & Webinars See what's happening soon and sign up for an event near you.
    • fact_check
      Materials Everything we do at Compassion & Choices is about empowering patients to claim their voice and agency in end-of-life care.
    • newspaper
      News View the latest news and announcements from Compassion & Choices
    • video_camera_front
      Past Webinar Archive Join our webinar series as we invite medical and health experts, end-of-life professionals, policy makers and story tellers to give you the information you need to navigate your care preferences for the end of life.
    Press Room Continued
    • Annual Reports
    • Magazine
    • Newsletters
    • Signature Event
    • Signature Song
  • About Us keyboard_arrow_down
    • attach_money
      Financial Info Access our annual and financial reports and trusted charitable ratings.
    • people
      Leadership, Board & Committees Meet our Senior Leadership and esteemed Board and Committee members
    • flag_circle
      Our Mission Compassion & Choices improves care, expands options and empowers everyone to chart their end-of-life journey.
    • build
      Our Work Compassion & Choices is the nation’s oldest, largest and most active nonprofit working to improve care, expand options and empower everyone to chart their end-of-life journey.
    About Us Continued
    • Community Engagement
    • Federal Advocacy
    • Legal Advocacy
    • Medical Engagement and Education
    • State Advocacy
  • Resources keyboard_arrow_down
    • group
      End of Life Consultation Services Our End-of-Life Consultation Program (EOLC) provides confidential, nonjudgmental, professional support around end-of-life planning, anywhere in the country.
    • medical_information
      Resources for Clinicians We partner with providers across the country to create and distribute training and resources for clinicians.
    • build
      Tools to Finish Strong Access all of our end-of-life planning tools to Finish Strong
    Resources Continued
    • Doc-to-Doc Consultation Services
    • Recursos en Español
    • See All Resources
  • Take Action keyboard_arrow_down
    • contacts
      Contact Your Legislator Your calls and letters will show lawmakers how deeply their constituents want medical aid in dying in their state.
    • redeem
      Donate Join donors from across the country by making a tax-deductible contribution today!
    • co_present
      Share Your Story The power of personal stories to inspire and drive change is undeniable. Everyone has a story and we want to hear your voice.
    • volunteer_activism
      Volunteer Find direction, training and materials that engage volunteers to be part of the Volunteer Advocacy Network
    Take Action Continued
    • Advocate Virtually
    • Leave A Legacy
    • Plan Your End of Life Care
  • Our Issues keyboard_arrow_down
    • psychology
      Dementia End-of-Life Care We're working to transform how people die with dementia to ensure people are aware, empowered and supported in getting the care they want – or do not want – should dementia take hold.
    • people
      Healthcare Equity at the End of Life Compassion & Choices is working in partnership with our Leadership Councils and partner organizations to address inequities in end-of-life care and planning.
    • home
      Medical Aid in Dying Compassion & Choices is leading efforts to authorize, implement and defend medical aid in dying so all terminally ill people who are eligible will have access to the full range of end-of-life care options.
    • block
      Voluntarily Stop Eating and Drinking Compassion & Choices is working to raise awareness about the option of voluntarily stopping eating and drinking.
    Our Issues Continued
    • Advance Care Planning
    • Hospice Care
    • Palliative Care
    • Palliative Sedation
    • Refusals to Provide Care
    • Telehealth
    • Unwanted Medical Treatment
Donate

Volunteer Resource Center

Sign Up to Volunteer 

Volunteers are at the heart of Compassion & Choices advocacy, education and outreach efforts, paving the way for a full range of end-of-life options nationwide.

Staying Stronger Together 

Check out our robust library of webinars addressing the end-of-life options movement.

Report back 

Compassion & Choices’ Volunteer Action Network what you’re doing in your community to advance end-of-life care options. Please take a moment to tell us about a recent volunteer activity.

For New Volunteers

Introduction to Compassion & Choices and Volunteering
Introduction to Medical Aid in Dying
"This is Your Show" Signature Song (2020)
Compassion & Choices 2020 Signature Event: Tributes, Stories & Song
Compassion & Choices 2021 Signature Event: Purpose, Power and Promise
Compassion & Choices 2022 Signature Event: Pioneering Change

Volunteer Forms

Compassion & Choices Confidentiality Agreement
Compassion & Choices Volunteer Media Policy
Compassion & Choices Basic Petition
Compassion & Choices Sign-in Sheet
Compassion & Choices Action Network Volunteer Data Use Agreement
COVID-19 Volunteer Information & Acknowledgement

How-to Toolkits

Passing a Local Resolution
Communicating with Legislators and the Media
Petitions, Tabling and Canvassing
Holding a Video Screening
Hosting a House Party
Basic Lobbying

Other Resources

Find Your Legislator
End-of-Life Planning
Upcoming Events
Compassion & Choices Magazine
Other End-of-Life Books, Films, Websites and Tools
Compassion & Choices on Youtube

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Become a volunteer today  

Volunteer Spotlight: Dr. Don Zimmerman

A near-death experience compels the University of New Orleans professor to shift his career focus and steers him toward the end-of-life choice movement.

Volunteer Don Zimmerman spent the first 20 years of his career as a policy researcher in D.C. working with Congress and executive agencies on a wide variety of national health policy issues. He then turned to full-time academic work at the University of Maryland University College as professor and director of their Graduate Healthcare Administration Program. Four years ago, however, Don was hospitalized with a massive medical event — a thoracic aneurysm and ensuing septic shock — that not only threatened but changed his life.

“After being in the ICU for 43 straight days, close to dying, I went through something called ‘ICU delirium,’ which it turns out affects two- to three-million people a year,” Don explains. “The way I describe it is as your worst nightmare that then gets worse, and then doesn’t end. It’s a horrible experience.”


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