As many of you know, I am a board member of the Northwest Narrative Medicine Collaborative, a nonprofit devoted to supporting narrative medicine through a variety of programs, workshops, and resources. All are imagined, planned, disseminated, and led by a team of passionate volunteers.

We do this work because we believe making space for stories in health care connects us to our shared humanity and to one another as we navigate illness or disability. By listening to others’ stories and telling our own, we respect and nourish patients, caregivers, and health professionals. Doing this work in community strengthens us individually.

The success of our programming has allowed us to grow to the point at which we need the help of a part-time professional coordinator who can manage our incredible volunteers, community events, educational programming, and valuable online resources. We hope to raise $40,000 in donations.

From $1 to $1,000 or anywhere in between, please consider giving to get us closer to our goal. Any amount helps and shows future grant funders that we have donor support. There is also a silent auction where you can bid on everything from Pacific Northwest wine to writing workshops, gift baskets, theatre tickets, a weekend in the mountains, and more.

I’ve seen the difference this organization makes in supporting providers, patients, and family care-givers who seek meaningful care and connection despite the challenges of a broken healthcare system. I’ve also seen how this organization inspires and trains students contemplating health careers or in the midst of their professional training as well as scholars and teachers, writers and artists who advocate for more humane care. I hope you will consider supporting this cause.