When an unexpected accident forces you to come face to face with your own mortality, you tend to relate to those that are suffering. You tend to be a Sherpa; a guide to those that are facing suffering
In my opinion, BJ Miller is the epitome of a 21st century Sherpa. When your personal experiences opens a doorway to relate to those facing end of life, your practice is not a practice, it is a calling.
As a Princeton student, BJ’s life dramatically changed when he endured a tragic accident. Climbing on top of a parked Dinky Line shuttle train in New Jersey, 11,000 volts of electricity violently came through a power line and connected with the watch he was wearing on his left wrist.
As the high voltage ran through BJ’s body, he was badly burned and nearly dead. The young BJ Miller died that night, but medics were able to resuscitate him. As he recovered over the next several months, he was faced with accepting and coping with the loss of both legs below the knee and his left forearm.
Bravely undergoing multiple surgeries, BJ almost gave up on his medical career aspirations. But a fellowship in palliative care was introduced to him from the state of Wisconsin, and there was an immediate connection.
BJ knew he had found his calling. He was able to share a viewpoint rarely brought into the palliative care setting. He had experienced personal pain and loss and had escaped his own death. He knew what suffering meant. He knew he wanted to make a difference. He wanted to change how individuals thought about death and dying. And now he is doing just that.
As the executive director of the Zen Hospice Project, BJ Miller has established a compassionate and pioneering service that initially grew from the San Francisco AIDS crisis in 1987 that created one of the city’s first residential hospices. Zen Hospice Project continues to be recognized as an innovative leader providing care for those facing advanced illness and support to their loved ones, while also educating and supporting an ever-growing community of caregivers.
The Zen Hospice Project is not like other hospices. They do not take any reimbursements for caring for the dying at end of life. The majority of hospice organizations rely heavily on compensation through Medicare, but that is not the case with the Zen Hospice Project. They choose to do things differently and rely totally on donations from the community to support their mission without limiting care based only upon Medicare reimbursements.
http://www.zenhospice.org/
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