I Before the program, participants can browse exhibits. metro Senior elpers Corby ',How Comm Our Services Benefactors of "Caring Coalition Conference" guarantee annua end-of-life educational symposium will continue in perpetuity. Ronelle Grier Contributing Writer N ow in its seventh year, the Caring Coalition Conference presented by the Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network (JHCN) has received funding that will guarantee it continues to educate hundreds of health care profes- sionals into the future. The event, set for March 19, has a new name this year — the Shenkman Weisberg Caring Coalition Conference, named after two philanthropic local couples dedicated to educating health-care professionals in Southeast Michigan to ensure quality end- of-life care. Miriam and Jack Shenkman of West Bloomfield were the original visionaries who gave seed money to the Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network in January 2007 to edu- cate staff members about end-of-life issues pertinent to their jobs. "They pushed us on education for our team and then asked why limit this, why not have an impact on all people in our region caring for people at the end of life; they made the conference possible," said Rabbi E.B. "Bunny" Freedman, JHCN director, and conference co-chair with Carolyn Cassin, president and CEO of the National Hospice Work Group. The Shenkmans increased their gift toward education in June 2008. Then, last September, local philanthropists Alvin and Henrietta Weisberg of Bloomfield Hills matched funds already given to JHCN by their friends, the Shenkmans. "The Shenkmans, with their vision, and the Weisbergs, who stepped in with their significant gift to turn the caring conference into a permanent learning event, have recog- nized that the only way the community will benefit from quality, compassionate care is if we invest in long-term education that synthe- sizes what's available out there in the greater world," Freedman said. "The conference brings the best people 16 March 13 • 2014 Miriam and Jack Shenkman Alvin and Henrietta Weisberg from around the globe to present and expand on the conversation so we can have the best care possible. The donors' transformative gift will allow us to contin- ue doing this into perpetuity and, thereby, enhance the care for every end-of-life patient in Southeast Michigan:' The Weisbergs are ardent supporters of programs serving the aging population and have made many significant financial gifts to further this cause, including the funding of an acute care center for the elderly at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak. According to their son, Steve Weisberg, they were impressed with the growth and success of the annual conference and decided to partner with the Shenkmans to create an endowment. "My parents are very grateful they are able to take care of themselves:' said Steve Weisberg. "Rabbi Freedman has done such a fantastic job with the conference, and they thought, what better way to help serve this population:' Jack Shenkman said, "The Caring Coalition Conference is a very worthwhile project. It is done in an organized and beau- tiful manner, with outstanding speakers. It's become a very important project for Jewish hospice, and we're proud to be part of the group that helps make it possible:' "Coping with Pain, Loss and Suffering: Our Patients and Our Own" will be the topic for this year's conference from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday, March 19, at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield. The conference, which began as a small lunch-and-learn event with one speaker in 2007, has grown over the years to include a wider range of speakers and a larger number of attendees. Last year's confer- ence, "Values, Ethics and Culture at End of Life drew 875 participants, and this year's attendance is expected to exceed that number. More than 60 sponsors from all areas of the health care system, including funeral homes, have pledged their support. Past topics have dealt with ethical end- of-life choices, grief and bereavement rituals, dealing with pain, compassionate caregiving, the science of comfort care and patient-directed care. "We've created a much bigger footprint:' Freedman said. "Our mission is to improve hospice care for the Jewish community, and this conference helps enhance care for the entire community. It's allowed us to become a leader in the field:' Freedman explained that the Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network plays a pivotal role in making the conference hap- pen. Next Week's Conference "We are neutral; he said. "We can bring the entire community together on this topic because we are not competitive with the hospices and health care systems:' The Caring Coalition is comprised of a diverse group of Southeast Michigan hospices, hospitals and other organizations whose purpose is to educate health care professionals and the general public about end-of-life issues, such as hospice and pal- liative care. The conference is geared toward pro- fessionals who serve the physical and emotional health needs of thousands of patients and their families, including social workers, nurses, clergy, case man- agers, nursing home administrators and other health care providers from Southeast Michigan and beyond. Experts in various fields will present information on topics such as pain man- agement, palliative care, emotional and spiritual aspects associated with serious illness, and coping with stress, grief and loss, said Cheryl Weiss, JHCN educa- tion director. There also will be a panel discussion on "Coping with Pain, Loss & Suffering: A Team Approach:' moderated by Hospice of Michigan Medical Director Dr. Michael Paletta. A new twist this year will be presenta- tions by two speakers who will share their heartrending personal stories of loss, grief and renewal: Gary Weinstein, a Farmington Hills jeweler whose wife and two young sons were killed by a drunk driver in 2005, and journalist Joshua Prager, a former medical student who had to reinvent his life when he became a quadriplegic after a bus accident in Jerusalem 22 years ago. "Gary Weinstein has the ultimate story of pain, loss and suffering; he is the brand- ing symbol of the idea that one can get beyond it:' Freedman said. "Josh Prager's life was in shambles after the crash; he lit- erally had to reassemble his body and soul. These two extraordinary human stories will touch every heart." ❑ Conference Details Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) are available for nurses, social work- ers and nationally certified counsel- ors, case managers, nursing home administrators and clergy who have already registered and complete an evaluation. Sign in, exhibits and a continental breakfast are at 7:30 a.m. at Shaarey Zedek; the program begins at 8:30 a.m. For information, visit www.caringcoalition.org or call (248) 592-2687.