Cultivating Compassion Education Series November Gatherings |
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Finding Light in the Darkest of Days: Resilience and Personhood in ALS |
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Presented by Suzana K.E. Makowski, MD and Medical Director of CCALS with an introduction by CCALS Founder, Ron Hoffman |
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Sunday, November 17, 2024 1:00 p.m. ET |
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The holiday season is upon us, with all of its possibilities and demands, and in the case of our community, the profound influence of ALS. In her long career as a palliative care doctor, Suzana has seen how serious illnesses, especially during the holidays, can define people in limiting, sometimes painful ways. Rather than bringing the community and closeness of holiday joy, the illness can make everything feel dark and diminished. In this talk, Dr. Makowski will explore the many ways we can build a space for personal exploration, sources of resilience and a deeper sense of self, ways of giving and gratitude, for families living with ALS. |
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Dr. Suzana Makowski formally joined the CCALS team in January 2023 after years of collaboration with Ron Hoffman as a physician and CCALS board member. She brings to CCALS experience and compassion as a physician-leader and medical educator. She continues to hold a volunteer Associate Professorship at UMass Chan School of Medicine, teaching, and mentoring students. There she was honored by the Center for Mindfulness and Department of Medicine with the Makowski Annual Lecture. She teaches healthcare communication and palliative care nationally and internationally. She has served on national committees aimed at improving access and quality of palliative and complex care for patients and families living with serious illness. |
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Trauma Healing
November 13 7:00pm ET |
| Our own Trauma & Spiritual Care Liaison, Julie Yau, Ph.D., SEP, will be hosting a monthly gathering for our community focused on trauma awareness and healing. CCALS has long recognized how traumatic an ALS diagnosis is, and the continuing challenges and trauma that can arise while living with ALS. Dr. Julie is a renowned trauma specialist and author of the powerful trauma healing book, "The Body Awareness Workbook for Trauma." She is a dear friend and colleague of CCALS founder, Ron Hoffman, and has been supporting our families for nearly 20 years. To participate in this group, we are asking for a commitment of at least three months, and the purchase and reading of Dr. Julie's book.
Please contact james@ccals.org if you are interested in participating. |
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Caregiver to Caregiver
November 14 3:00pm ET |
| Come share the informal gathering designed to offer genuine support for those engaged in ALS caregiving. Enjoy the opportunity to be with other folks who have an intimate understanding of ALS and share your unique point of view as a caregiver. It is truly a wonderful experience to sit in council with ALS caregivers, to practice heart-centered listening, bear witness to our journeys and those of others, and to support and be supported without judgment. |
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Men of ALS Guided by Ron Hoffman, CCALS Founder
November 21 2:00pm ET |
| Enjoy the connection and unique perspective of other men living with ALS, male caregivers of persons living with ALS, sons of those with ALS, or any man touched by the disease. We will gather in council to share our experiences with the broad motivation to bring heartfelt connections and healing to the ALS journey. The Men of ALS gatherings create a safe space to explore the rich male perspective on lineage, sexuality, the role as caregiver, and the experience of compassion. |
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Women of ALS
November 21 3:00pm ET |
| Enjoy the connection and unique perspective of other women living with ALS, female caregivers of persons living with ALS, daughters of those with ALS, or any woman touched by the disease. We will gather in council to share our experiences with the broad motivation to bring heartfelt connections and healing to the ALS journey. The Women of ALS gatherings create a safe space to explore the rich feminine perspective on lineage, sexuality, the role as caregiver, and the experience of compassion. |
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Sons and Daughters of ALS Guided by Ron Hoffman, CCALS Founder
December 1 4:00pm ET |
| Sons and Daughters of ALS, hosted by CCALS Founder and Director, Ron Hoffman, is designed for those 18 years to 30- somethings who have experienced a parent, or close loved one, struggling from symptoms, diagnosis, decline or death with ALS. Growing up with the intensity and complexity of ALS in our family can shake us to the very core. It is often hard to comprehend or describe the ways that this disease shapes our past, present and future. If you are living with, or have lived with, the impact of a parent with ALS, you are invited to join our zoom gathering for Sons and Daughters of ALS. With deep listening, in the company of others who know the similarity of the uninvited path of having a parent with ALS, we will gather in council to share our experiences with the broad motivation to bring heartfelt connection, awareness and healing. |
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Mothers of ALS
November 25 1:00pm ET |
| CCALS offers this informal gathering specifically for mothers who have been impacted by ALS. This disease shines a unique and challenging spotlight on the relationships between mothers and their children. We will join with each other in council to listen deeply and bear witness to our experiences as we connect and discover new pathways through the intensity of an ALS experience. |
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Beyond ALS
November 21 6:30pm ET |
| Join a welcoming group of men and women who have lost a loved one to ALS. Share openly with others who are rebuilding their lives after profound loss. This interactive gathering will highlight where we are now and what may feel different: our identity, our values, our approach to spirituality, and more. We will listen deeply to each other’s stories about the new experiences of building relationships, contentment with solitude, or challenges as a single parent. But, most importantly, come to enjoy and appreciate the company of others who have come to experience the precious nature of human life. |
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