Literature Review

Each May, Kennedy students raise money against cancer KELO Pierre, SD; by Bob Mercer; 5/18/26 Students at Kennedy Elementary School in Pierre are learning a valuable lesson. Giving can be the greatest gift of all. There was a friendly competition again during the first two weeks of May between the school’s 19 classrooms to see which one could raise the most money for a life-saving cause. It’s called Kennedy versus Cancer. Their goal was to raise $7,500 — and they’ve reached it once again. ... The money goes to Countryside Hospice. ... Kennedy Elementary students have been raising money to help the fight against cancer since their school opened in 2015. ... So far, more than $60,000 has been brought in.

Family Hospice expands compassionate care with new Greenwood, South Carolina location NEWSnet; by EIN Presswire; 5/18/26 Family Hospice is proud to announce the opening of its newest location in Greenwood, South Carolina. This expansion strengthens the organization’s presence across the state and increases access to high-quality hospice services for individuals and families throughout Greenwood and the surrounding communities. The new location builds on Family Hospice’s established presence in the Upstate, including its Greenville and Spartanburg offices.

Family Hospice expands compassionate care with new Greenwood, South Carolina location EIN Presswire, Greenwood, SC; by Family Hospice, LLC; 5/18/26 Family Hospice is proud to announce the opening of its newest location in Greenwood, South Carolina. ... The new location builds on Family Hospice’s established presence in the Upstate, including its Greenville and Spartanburg offices. As part of the expansion, Greenwood covers Abbeville, Clinton, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Edgefield, Newberry, Saluda, and parts of Anderson, Greenville, Spartanburg, and Aiken counties.

Landmarks and legacies: 50 years of heart and home health at Clarion Forest VNA exploreClarion, Clarion, PA; by Brock Jordan; 5/18/26 Long before GPS guided nurses down rural backroads, the caregivers of Clarion Forest VNA relied on landmarks, handwritten directions, and the kindness of neighbors to find the homes of patients scattered across Clarion and Forest counties.“Turn left at the red barn.”“Go past the old church.”“Look for the mailbox with the flowers.”The memories still make them laugh. For retired nurses Deb Wilson Kelly, Jan Lander, and Jill Over, those winding roads became part of a lifelong journey through one of the region’s most enduring healthcare organizations. And for current CEO Lisa Steiner, the stories and values built by those before her continue to shape the organization today.

Reader opinion: HCS supports its nurses, programs, by Talee Messenger The Keene Sentinel, Keene, NH; by Talee Messenger; 5/17/26 For over a century, Home Healthcare, Hospice and Community Services has been built on a foundation of nurses committed to meeting patients where they are. From traveling by foot and trolley in the early years to delivering specialized care today, HCS nurses have continued to lead with compassion and innovation. This Nurses Month, we honor that legacy while reaffirming our commitment to supporting the next generation of nurses. Providing care in rural communities requires adaptability, independence, and a deep connection to the people being served. At HCS, we believe meaningful care depends on shared knowledge and continuous learning.

Like what you do, and then you will do your best. ~ Katherine Johnson, NASA mathematician

The woman painting lost loved ones for free BBC News; by Tom Atkinson and Elliot Ball; 5/18/26 A Herefordshire artist has pledged to paint people's loved ones who have passed away for free, following the death of her own granddaughter.Judy Young, from Bromyard, has been creating posthumous portraits since 2017, and only requests a donation to St Michael's Hospice in return. ... Discussing her artwork, Young said: "It's very moving, it's always moving painting a portrait, and I have painted still born babies right up to people in their 80s and 90s." She continued: "What's so moving to me is because I want to hear about the person and learn about them, I don't just have a photo, I have an idea of their character and their essence."

Mayo Clinic and Bayesian Health co-develop new AI-powered solution to expand palliative care access and improve patient outcomes PR Newswire, Rochester, MN and New York , NY; by Bayesian Health; 5/19/26Mayo Clinic and Bayesian Health today announced they have co-developed an artificial intelligence (AI) solution to identify hospitalized patients who may benefit from palliative care earlier in their stay. The solution is designed to support timely consultations, with the objective of improving goal-concordant care for patients with serious illness and reducing non-beneficial readmissions.

You should never let your fears prevent you from doing what know is right. ~ Aung San Suu Kyi

French Senate rejects assisted suicide bill again Crux; by Fionn Shiner; 5/14/26 On Tuesday [May 12th], the French Senate rejected for the second time the assisted suicide bill under debate, with the leader of the conservative party calling for a referendum on the issue to avoid it being approved without the Senate’s approval. The National Assembly – France’s lower house – had already approved the bill twice, but the Senate, made up of more conservative and centrist politicians, rejected a key provision of the bill which sought to establish a right to assisted suicide. 

 Wisconsin-made film "Winter Hymns" gets more showings on the silver screen WKWO-27 ABC, Madison, WI; by Lucas Kihmm; 5/17/26 A movie that's produced and filmed right here in Wisconsin, Winter Hymns tells the story of a palliative care doctor meeting with a series of dying patients over a one day span. Writer and Director of the film Nathan Deming sat down with 27 News anchor Lucas Kihmm to talk about the movie and says he was inspired by his father, who was a palliative care physician, to make the film. ... It's now getting more exposure to audiences across the state and country after Flix Brewhouse gave Deming the opportunity to show his film in theaters. 

Proposing a framework to license autonomous clinical AI: as autonomous clinical AI continues to evolve, we need uniform regulatory standards, says LDI Fellow Penn LDI - Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics; by Alon Bergman, PhD; 5/15/26 Late last month, Utah’s Medical Licensing Board called for the immediate suspension of the state’s pilot program with the AI company Doctronic. The program lets a chatbot evaluate patients and recommend prescription renewals for nearly 200 chronic condition drugs, with the state planning to phase out physician review of each case. The board said that it only learned about the pilot after it had launched. Its warning was blunt: proceeding without proper clinical oversight “potentially places Utah citizens at risk.” ... Utah is one of at least 47 states now considering more than 250 bills governing clinical AI, producing a patchwork of rules on bias audits, payment policy, and patient consent.Editor's Note: See related article by the same author Alon Bergman, AI doctors should be licensed. Here’s a framework to do that: Utah's pilot program with Doctronic shows that federal action is necessary. 

Butterfly Garden of Remembrance 2026 YubaNet.com, Nevada County, CA; by Foothills Compassionate Care; 5/15/26 Driving along the freeway between Grass Valley and Nevada City, passengers might notice three large butterfly statues in the nearby distance. The statues mark the annual Butterfly Garden of Remembrance, hosted by Foothills Compassionate Care [formerly known as Hospice of the Foothills]. ... In a community where neighbors care deeply for one another, few traditions capture that spirit more beautifully.  For more than 25 years, the Butterfly Garden has offered a sacred space for grief, healing and remembrance.