About this talk
When dealing with a serious or terminal illness, palliative care physician and TEDMED 2018 speaker, Steve Pantilat reminds us that “even in the midst of chaos there is hope”. However, this kind of hope is different than the hope that the person will recover or be cured. In fact, at a certain point, false hope may be detrimental.
As Steve asserts in his Talk, “In the end false hope is no hope because it’s not based in reality. And you might wonder, ‘Oh, what’s the harm of a little false hope?…’ The harm is that we squander our time, that we pursue and accept treatments that are more likely to hurt than help. And most important that we miss the opportunity to achieve what is possible. We have to be in the realistic hope business—the true hope business.” Learn more in Steve’s 2018 Talk, “Why palliative care is essential in the face of serious illness”.
About Steve Pantilat
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Steven Pantilat is a leading expert in palliative care, a medical field that focuses on improving the quality of life for people with serious illnesses. He is a professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where he also serves as the founding Chief of the Division of Palliative Medicine. His work is dedicated to changing how healthcare is delivered to patients and their families. He is an advocate for innovative programs that provide comfort and support, manage symptoms, and help patients navigate complex medical decisions. Steve is the author of over 100 scientific papers and a book for patients and their families called Life After the Diagnosis: Expert Advice on Living Well with Serious Illness. He was also featured in the Netflix documentary End Game, which followed five people receiving end-of-life care, highlighting the importance of palliative medicine. In addition, he founded the Palliative Care Quality Network, a national organization that works to improve the quality of palliative care across the country.
