S1 How NDEs and Hospice are Changing American Values: A...

How NDEs and Hospice are Changing American Values: A Personal Perspective
Pam Kircher, MD

While my childhood NDE brought in sensitivities and values that made me feel different from other children, as a 60 year old woman I can look back on my life and see how the NDE created incredible freedom for me. After discussing ways that I individually have felt liberated by my own NDE, I will also discuss ways that the awareness of NDEs is liberating not only medicine and science, but also our society as a whole. In the field of medicine, we are studying the impact of prayer and energy work on illness and wellness. We are reconsidering our definition of consciousness. The rise of hospice care in the past 30 years has supported the change in values that are occurring because of the widespread awareness of NDEs. As a result of the prevalence and general awareness of NDEs and hospice care, we are maturing as a society toward values that embrace a sense of connectedness with all living beings with an emphasis on the spiritual aspects of life rather than the material.