CPC awarded funding to physicians, nurses and social workers to participate in the 3rd Annual Kathleen Foley Palliative Care Retreat and Research Symposium co-sponsored by the National Palliative Care Research Center (NPCRC), the American Cancer Society (ACS), and the AAHPM College of Palliative Care. This event will be held in Greensboro, Georgia, October 13 – 15, 2009.The goal of the Retreat is to advance the scientific endeavors of those who are or will become independent investigators actively involved in palliative care research through development of attendees' individual works in progress and improvement of specific competencies and core methodologies essential to conducting palliative care research.

Dr. Hirschman’s project is “Redesigning the hospice Medicare benefit for persons with advanced dementia.”  Her sponsoring mentor is Dr. Mary Ersek; her faculty mentor is Dr. Mary Naylor.

Dr. Buck’s project is “The impact of hospice admission on heart failure patient’s and caregiver’s symptom burden, quality of life and self-care management.”  Her sponsoring mentor is Dr. Mary Ersek; her faculty mentor is Dr. Barbara Riegel.