Dear Friends, Dying is a difficult subject. Most of us don’t want to think of it, much less talk about it. Instead, we like to imagine that we and our loved ones will remain healthy, no matter our age, and even then, with the miracles of modern technology, we might, literally, "live happily ever after." So, if we can’t live forever, can we not at least hope to end our days with dignity; with the assurance that we will not suffer unnecessary pain; with the comfort of being surrounded by compassionate care; and with the opportunity to find emotional and spiritual peace? Can we hope that death will not represent failure but, rather, our ultimate achievement? The Maine Hospice Council and Center for End of Life Care exists to make that hope a reality. Hospice services have been created with the vision of helping patients face the end of life by providing expert medical care; effective pain and symptom management; assistance at home; as well as support for family, friends and caregivers in the difficult process of grief and loss. These services are available today. Yet, here in Maine, many people do not take advantage of hospice services. How can this be? Because they are not aware of their options; access to hospice in many areas remains difficult; some populations are overlooked and/or under-served. We all want to ensure that loved ones can obtain the best care at the end of their lives. This is what we want for ourselves, our friends, family and neighbors. The Council needs your help in this important work. With past support, we have been able to take some important steps toward our goals. Through creation of the Hospice Veterans Partnership of Maine, we are helping meet the needs of veterans and their families. We have developed a self-study packet for physicians to increase their knowledge of pain management at the end of life. The "Pain Management at the End of Life: A Physician’s Self-Study Packet" has since been requested by hundreds of clinicians in Maine and around the country, and three states have asked for help in replicating the packet in their communities. Through the Council’s leadership, communities across the state are engaging in conversations to identify their concerns and needs around end-of-life care so that the Council can bring them to the attention of state and national leaders. These conversations are critical. Input from the public is necessary to improve access and quality of end-of-life care for all Maine citizens. Still, so much more needs to be done. And we need your support to continue to fulfill our mission. Your contribution will enable us to increase public awareness of quality end-of-life services; to determine what barriers prevent access to hospice; to educate clinicians and caregivers about best practices for end of life care. With your help we can take our concerns to state and national leaders and advocate for public policies that will ensure a more seamless health care delivery system for end-of-life care. Your gift will help us to continue to carry on the important conversation about dying that we all find so difficult, yet that can transform a frightening prospect into an enlightened and enlightening process. By helping us to ensure the availability of quality hospice services to you, your loved ones and your communities, you will help fuel the hope for quality end-of-life care. We need your help in this vital work. Please give generously. Help us to ensure that, if we cannot expect to live forever, we can be assured of dying well. Sincerely, Deborah Clague, Board Member Amy Line, Board President Rick Erb, Chair, Finance Committee 
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