In Search of Dignity: A Lifetime of Reflections

’In Search of Dignity’ is a collection of candid and insightful publications from one of the world’s leading palliative care researchers. It follows Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov’s decades-long career, beginning as a young psychiatrist from the University of Manitoba to his experience at the prestigious Cornell Medical College and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre. Shaped by patient interaction, his deeply human journey formed the basis of a novel program of research and clinical innovations that have helped to shape the field of palliative medicine and person-centered care worldwide.

Dr. Chochinov’s research and reflections explore issues that strike at the heart of what it means to be human, vulnerable, and mortal. The chapters reveal the story behind the story of each published paper or speech, the wisdom gained from patients nearing death, and their relevance today. Topics include maintaining self-identity during illness, understanding depression, the impact of illness on the will to live, and how affirmation shapes dignity.

Engaging and empathetic, Dr. Chochinov pays homage to individuals who inspired his research. He reveals their wisdom in a kind, insightful, and sometimes humorous style that is easily readable for anyone interested in the psychological and spiritual dimensions of end-of-life care, especially medical students, clinicians, nurses, researchers, or those caring for loved ones.