LIVE & LEARN . . .
"HOSPICE:  ABOUT LIVING OR DYING?"

Hospice provides care for the terminally ill, individuals who have a prognosis of six months or less.  This terminal prognosis must be provided by a medical doctor who considers what can realistically be expected, considering what is happening in the patient's disease process.  Hospice supports life, even as dying is imminent.

You'll find out more about the goal of Hospice and how it provides assistance at the next Live & Learn Lecture at 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, October 10. Wichita Public Radio, the University of Kansas School of Medicine – Wichita and the Medical Society of Sedgwick County will present Tom Welk, D.Min., discussing "Hospice:  About Living or Dying?"  This lecture series is at the KU School of Medicine – Wichita campus at 1010 N. Kansas, located at the 8^th/9^th Street exit on I-135.

You may bring a sack lunch to the lecture.  Snacks and/or dessert and beverages will be provided.  The event is free and open to the public, but reservations are requested by calling 316-293-2643.

KMUW's Frank Dudgeon will present an interview featuring Dr. Welk, during Morning Edition, Monday, October 9. The interview will air at 5:50 a.m., 7:50 a.m., and 9:50 a.m.

Thomas A. Welk is a native of North Dakota who came to Wichita in the fall of 1970 and joined the staff at Newman University.  In the summer of 1981 he began working with a committee of interested community members to help start a hospice program in Wichita.

When Hospice was legally incorporated in the summer of 1982, he served as a member of the first Board of Directors.  He became a staff member of Hospice of Wichita (now known as Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice) in 1983.

At present he is the Director of Professional Education and Pastoral Care.  His responsibilities include education regarding dying/death issues, information on hospice care, and coordination of the ethical decision making process regarding treatment questions.

This marks the fourth year of the collaboration, which began as part of the national Sound Partners for Community Health grant program, in 2003.  The previous lectures and radio reports can be found on Wichita Public Radio's website at http://www.kmuw.org.  The audio from each topic covered in the new series will be added to the website following each lecture.