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Stephen Kiernan
Keynote Fee : Call For Quote Travels From: VT |
Topics
- Aging
- Hospice / End of Life Care
- Senior Health
- Eldercare
- Home HealthCare
- Ethics
- Leadership & Strategy
- Business of Healthcare
Events
- Board Retreat
- Community Events
- Doctor's Meetings
- Executive Forums / Summits
- Leadership Events
- Medical School Events
- Staff Development
- Women's Conferences
Products
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Programs
Authentic PatriotismBased on the book by the same name
"America is in trouble. And only a nationwide movement of volunteerism and civic action will reverse the nation's course. ~Stephen Kiernan"
Quite apart from the prolonged wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in addition to the troubled economy, this nation is losing its quality of life and shared sense of purpose. One result is a level of need that has become staggering: 40 million people in poverty, 47 million people without health insurance, 3.5 million people homeless each year, more than one million bankruptcies a year. Another result is a sense of disconnection that people feel — distress, anxiety, and prolonged belief that the country is headed in the wrong direction.
Further the government is too indebted to solve these problems, and the chaotic scrum of politics inspires less public confidence every election cycle. The free market is likewise unable to lift a people as it did in the past; economic gains bestow great wealth on a few while increased debt and financial insecurity are the inheritance of many.
Stephen believes the answer is a re-engagement of the American people in sustaining the strength of their country. In his presentation, he features a few of the stories presented in his book of 60 people who saw a problem and decided it should not be allowed to persist in a nation as great as the United States. Starting without money, fame or power, these people developed organizations, recruited followers, cultivated funding sources, and made a visible difference. Quite literally, they helped to improve this nation. Their stories - in realms as different as health care, scientific research, criminal justice, race relations, the environment and many more — are inspirational. The stories are also educational, for they show the path that all of us can follow if we care enough to commit ourselves to America's well-being.
Invite Stephen to inspire "authentic patriotism" at your next event-our country will truly benefit from it!
(Based on his book by the same name)
Recent medical advances have dramatically reduced sudden causes of death such as heart attacks, strokes and accidents. Today our lives end slowly, giving us an unprecedented opportunity for meaningful closure-free of pain, among loved ones, with affairs in order and spiritual calm attained.
While Stephen shares the stories of people who died after enduring avoidable pain and needless indignities, more importantly, he shares the stories of those whose last days were pain free, who lived life fully right to the last moment. Above all, he shows how patients and families can regain control of the dying process, creating familial intimacy like never before.
Bolstered by both scientific research and intimate portraits of men and women from all walks of life, Last Rights offers a hopeful, profound vision for patients, doctors, and families. It is a way to honor the dying during their greatest vulnerability, a chance for families to reconnect, an opportunity for the medical system to treat patients with ultimate respect, a time to give comfort and compassion to those we most love.
In speaking about end-of life care, it has been said that Stephen Kiernan has " the heart of a poet and the skill of an investigative reporter."
Stephen's discussion of end-of-life care has led to invitations to speak on wider topics -- about medical ethics and ethics more generally. His talks investigate the challenges of ethical decision-making in complex environments and sometimes competing legitimate interests. He also offers an interactive exercise that involves every person in the audience and that sparks lively and heartfelt discussion.
Speaker Information
Over his decades as a journalist, Stephen Kiernan has written for the Boston Globe, the AARP Bulletin, and many other newspapers and magazines. He has won 40 awards, including the Bechner Institute's Freedom of Information Award, the Gerald Loeb Award for financial journalism (two time commentary finalist) and the 2003 George Polk Award for medical reporting.
In 2006 Stephen wrote the book: Last Rights: Rescuing the End of Life from the Medical System, to raise people's awareness on death and the options open to them. "I found the way we die in America changed dramatically and the way we care for people dying not changing at all," Kiernan said. "I found people suffering needlessly." It has been said this book will radically change the way people face mortality." His book has been featured on OprahSelects.com.
Stephen is a graduate of Middlebury College, and received an MA degree from Johns Hopkins University and an MFA degree from the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop. He has taught at Middlebury College and the New England Young Writers Conference, and has worked on the staff of the Breadloaf School of English and the Breadloaf Writers Conference. He has served on the board of The Brautigan Library and the Young Writers Project.
Stephen's programs uplift and inspire. Despite the serious subject matter, he brings humor to the platform and audiences find themselves laughing as well as being better informed.
Stephen has also performed on the guitar for many years. In addition to recording 3 CDs of solo instrumentals, he has composed music for dance, the stage, documentaries and TV specials. He lives in Vermont with his two amazing sons.
Testimonials
"Stephen Kiernan is an incredibly capitvating public speaker whose years of journalistic excellence convey a strong message about some of the problems and cures for today's health system."
- Donald Schumacher, President, National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
"Kiernan goes beyond expose to uncover hopefuil progress and practical ways to protect and nurture the people we love."
- Ira Byock MD, author of Dying Well
"Stephen Kiernan's speaking appearances are certain to change lives and make a significant difference for those fortunate enough to read his book or cross his path. I could not recommend any writer or speaker with more enthusiasm. Stephen Kiernan will change your life."
- David Wolk, President, Castleton State College
"Stephen Kiernan's personal authority and gentle presence are captivating. He has the uncanny ability to make us believe not only that the state of end-of-life health care in America must change, but that we must be active agents of that change."
- Linda Piotrowski, Chaplain, Norris Cotton Cancer Center-Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center