UAB Center for Palliative and Supportive Care

10/31/2025

October is National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month 💛
Although it is the last day of the month, we still wanted to share the information below.

Depression affects millions each year—and it’s treatable. Taking a few small, intentional steps daily can help nurture your mind and body as you seek support.

At Contenu Wellness, we believe in whole-person care through mindfulness, nutrition, expressive arts, and movement -- in community. Here are four gentle ways to begin:

🌿 Mindfulness: Start each morning with 5 minutes of mindful breathing. Notice sensations, thoughts, and emotions without judgment—just awareness. Naming emotions is a powerful tool.

🥗 Nutrition: Aim for balanced meals with whole foods that support mood and energy—think colorful produce, omega-rich fish, and plenty of hydration. And don't forget the hydration!

🎨 Expressive Arts: Write, paint, or journal what words can’t express. Creative outlets help release emotion and reconnect you to meaning and hope.

🚶‍♀️ Movement: Move your body daily—walk, stretch, or dance. Even 10 minutes of gentle movement can lift mood and reduce stress.

If you’re struggling, reach out to a medical or mental health professional. You don’t have to navigate this alone—help and healing are available. 💚

10/24/2025

Congratulations to Dr's. Shena Borders Gazaway and Rachel Duncan Wells!!

UABSON Associate Professor Shena Gazaway and Assistant Professor Rachel Wells have received a $50,000 grant from The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation to develop interventions to support caregivers of individuals experiencing pain with heart failure.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4ouTmQO

10/20/2025

📣 Calling All Researchers!

The Center for Palliative and Supportive Care is now accepting Letters of Intent for our upcoming Research Grant Awards! 📝

This funding opportunity is designed to support pilot projects that focus on community agency partnerships. We're especially interested in proposals that advance palliative and supportive care through collaborative, community-driven approaches.

📅 Deadline for Letters of Intent: January 26th, 2026
💡 Selected applicants will be invited to submit full proposals.

If you're passionate about improving quality of life through research and community collaboration, we want to hear from you!

📨 Submit your Letter of Intent or learn more at: https://www.uab.edu/medicine/palliativecare/research/prep-awards
or email Racheal Nerud at rachneru4673@uabmc.edu.

10/15/2025

Jackie Palmore and Angela Hardin are representing the Center for Palliative and Supportive Care at the Alabama Hospice and Palliative Care Organization's (AHPCO) Annual Conference from October 15-17, 2025.

If you are attending, please stop and say hello and learn more about our educational trainings.

10/14/2025

Tune in on Wednesday, October 15th at 11am CST/12pm EST as Dr. Marie Bakitas presents “Unmuting Rural Voices: Towards Health Equity in Palliative Care” at McGill University’s National Palliative Care Grand Rounds in Montreal.

To join the presentation, use the link below to create an account (free) for the Pallium portal. Afterward, you will be able to RSVP to the session.

https://www.mcgill.ca/palliativecare/national-grand-rounds

09/29/2025

🕊️ We are deeply saddened to share the passing of Dr. Balfour Mount, who died in the very unit named in his honor at Montreal’s Royal Victoria Hospital.

Widely known as the “father of palliative care,” Dr. Mount founded the world’s first Palliative Care Unit in 1975 and coined the term itself. His visionary work transformed care for those facing life-limiting illness, shaping a global movement rooted in compassion, dignity, and whole-person healing.

Dr. Mount’s legacy lives on through the institutions he built, the countless lives he touched, and the philosophy he championed: that healing is possible, even at life’s end.

At the UAB Center for Palliative and Supportive Care, we're deeply grateful for the incredible impact he had on shaping the heart and soul of our field.

09/19/2025

Dr. Gabrielle Rocque, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology & Oncology, at UAB, is presenting "Integrating Electronic Patient Reported Outcomes into Care Delivery" via livestream for UF Health Cancer Center Oncology Grand Rounds 2025-2026 from 12-1pm on September 24, 2025.

09/11/2025

We want to let you know about an upcoming FREE event!

The Birmingham Community Deathcare invites you to an immersive four-hour experience exploring the physical, emotional, and practical aspects surrounding death and dying.

Please register to let them know you are attending:
https://www.bhamcommunitydeathcare.com/event-details-registration/community-of-care-exploring-the-thresholds-of-living-dying-and-grieving

Time & Location
Sep 28, 2025, 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM CDT

Clubhouse on Highland, 2908 Highland Ave, Birmingham, AL 35205

WHAT TO EXPECT:
• Opening, Breathwork & Panel – grounding us in the mission and stories of deathcare.
• Immersive Stations - gentle, creative, and meaningful ways to engage:
• Write or decorate a card to a loved one (to keep or burn in closing).
• Write/draw a note to dissolve in a beautiful bowl of water.
• Reflect on prompts: What constitutes a “good death” to you?
• Create a bracelet in memory of a loved one.
• Decorate a shell + candle to bring home.
• Explore our card deck of reflections on death and grief.
• Step into the “Phone to the Beyond” to call your loved one.
• Browse our Library of Books & Resources.
• Join the Listening Bench or visit the Video Corner to share why you came.
• Help co-create an Outdoor Art Mural.
• Small circles for open conversation about what’s on your heart.
• Closing Circle & Burn Ceremony, gathering all we’ve carried into community.

07/16/2025

We think Dr. Tucker is pretty terrific, too!

07/15/2025

🌟 Celebrating 25 Years of Compassionate Care 🌟

Join us for a night of remembrance and impact at the 25th Anniversary Gala honoring the UAB Center for Palliative and Supportive Care!

For a quarter of a century, this visionary center has provided comfort, dignity, and hope to thousands of patients and families. Now, we're marking this incredible milestone with an unforgettable celebration — and you're invited.

📅 Date: November 7th, 2025📍 Location: The Fennec, Birmingham, AL

Expect powerful stories, inspiring moments, and a community united around the mission of healing and support. Let’s raise a glass to 25 years—and the future ahead. 💚

07/09/2025

Exciting news from the Center for Palliative and Supportive Care! We're thrilled to announce that Dr. Rachel Wells will serve as the new Faculty Lead Coordinator. In this pivotal role, she’ll guide the planning of our Research Seminar Series, provide guidance for our PREP applicants, and help drive progress toward our UWIRC initiatives.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Wells!