Providing counseling, coaching, and group facilitation to those facing major life transitions, grief, and loss.
Dying (to) Talk
A CONVERSATION ABOUT MEDICAL AID IN DYING
Friday, September 18, 2026
12:00 PM 5:00 PM
First Unitarian Church of Rochester
220 South Winton Road
Rochester, New York, 14610
Because conversations about dying are ultimately
conversations about living, loving, and caring for one another.
More than a lecture, this is an opportunity to learn, reflect, and participate in the kind of conversation many of us long to have- but rarely know how to begin. Together we'll explore not only Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD), but the questions it raises about autonomy, compassion, caregiving, and what it means to accompany one another through life's final chapter.
Created for those who walk alongside others through serious illness, dying, and loss, this forum welcomes end-of-life doulas, hospice and palliative care professionals, volunteers, caregivers, counselors, social workers, chaplains, and others drawn to this work.
MAiD takes effect in New York on August 5, 2026, becoming the 14th US jurisdiction to legalize MAiD. As this new end-of-life option becomes part of our healthcare landscape, many people are left with questions- not only about what the law says, but about the emotional and deeply human considerations it raises.
OUR LAST WALK HOME
Love, Cancer, and the Agony of Letting Go
In January, 2020, Jennifer Sanfilippo's life was upended when her husband Jim was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. Thrust into the cancer battle against the backdrop of a roiling Covid-19 pandemic, Jim fought for his life while Jennifer fought to protect their family from the indignities of the healthcare complex.
Our Last Walk Home is an exploration of cancer treatment in the US, from diagnosis to death, through the lens of a widow's grief. This very personal, often painful, and surprisingly funny narrative challenges the big questions of mental health care for patients and families, patient centeredness in teaching hospitals, and our nations cultural refusal to create useful dialogue and practices that support individuals through death and grief. With a heartfelt and generous telling, Jennifer guides the reader through her journey of hope and loss.