Madison-Deane Initiative
The Madison-Deane Initiative (MDI) is the education arm of the VNA End-of-Life Care services. It was created in 1997 to educate the general public and medical professionals about quality care at the end of life. MDI advocates for the strengthening and coordination of quality end-of-life care through education and communication between related organizations. MDI is a two-way resource, providing educational programs to the community, as well as access by the community for questions on topics related to quality care at the end of life.
Mission
The mission of the Madison-Deane Initiative is to transform end-of-life care through education, collaboration and inspiration.
Vision Statement
It is the vision of the Madison-Deane Initiative to:
- Be a catalyst to change the culture around death and dying
- Be a leader in identifying and providing education, information and resources relevant to end-of-life issues.
- Develop creative venues for dialog about how individuals and families face life-threatening illness.
- Support individuals and families to advocate for their own care and the care of their loved ones.
- Be a sustainable organization that effects change at the community, state, regional and global levels.
Community Education
MDI welcomes the opportunity to provide educational programs to both large and small community groups on issues related to palliative care, hospice care and advance care planning. If you are interested in having someone from MDI come to your organization, please contact us directly at 802 860-4419 or by email at bruzzese@vnacares.org to discuss your individual organizational needs.
A typical session includes a video, copies of palliative care resources booklets and advanced directives booklets, and discussion on palliative care.
Pioneers Of Hospice: Changing the Face of Dying
The historical narrative of the founding of the modern hospice movement has been preserved in this timeless, award-winning documentary that is being shown internationally. The vision and resourcefulness of the Madison-Deade Initiative, combined with the artistry of filmmaker Terrence Youk, have captured this story in the words of the original pioneers: Dame Cicely Saunders, Florence Wald, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and Balfour Mount. What they saw of the process of dying changed their lives. They were appalled, not by the natural act itself, but by how our society hides it, denies it, misunderstands it and fails utterly to cope with it. Their work inspired a movement across the globe. As a result, over the past five decades end-of-life care has been and continues to be dramatically transformed.
For more information about the film, bios of the pioneers, or to purchase the film, please go to www.pioneersofhospice.org or call toll free 866-293-8200.
Publications
MDI offers the following publications available for download:
- Guide to Palliative Care Resources — A comprehensive, annotated guide to local information and resources related to end-of-life care issues. This booklet offers a range of information related to common questions, resources, and other decisions that arise when individuals or families are confronted with a life-threatening illness.
- The Palliative Care Option: Living Fully in the Face of Life-Threatening Illness – A companion booklet, used in conjunction with MDI's 17-minute video on palliative care. Please call 802 860-4419 for more information about the video and other supporting materials.
- Madison-Deane Initiative: The First 10 Years: To learn more about the Madison-Deane Initiative, our program brochure is available for download.
Throughout the year, Madison-Deane Initiative offers conferences and events to help promote quality end-of-life care.
Council Members
Peg Maffitt, chair
Brookes Cowan
Estelle Deane
Louise Fairbank
Linda Fishell
Gretchen Gross
John Kern
Judy Lief
Pam MacPherson
Joan Madison
Holly Miller
Karen Walker
Cindy Bruzzese, MDI Program Manager
Angel Collins, Director, VNA End-of-Life Care Programs
Martha Lunbeck, Director, VNA Development and Community Relations
For more information about the Madison-Deane Initiative, please contact:
Cindy Bruzzese
MDI Program Manager
(802) 860-4419
bruzzeseREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@vnacares.org