Share Our Mission: Your Network Can Help!

Mandi Zucker

March 18, 2026

Live How You Like, Leave How You Like

Dear Friends,

One of the most meaningful ways to strengthen our community and expand our impact is by introducing new people to our organization. Many of our most dedicated supporters first learned about our work through a personal connection—a friend, a family member, or a moment that brought our mission close to home. When you share our story, you help ensure that more individuals understand the importance of advance care planning and feel inspired to be part of it.

There are many ways to make that introduction, but one especially powerful and lasting option is to request donations in lieu of flowers. During times of loss, people are often searching for a meaningful way to honor a life. By directing those gestures toward a cause that mattered to you, you create an opportunity for others to contribute to something lasting and impactful. It’s a simple choice that carries deep significance, allowing generosity to take the place of tradition.

This approach is also accessible to everyone. You may feel that you’re unable to make a significant financial contribution yourself, but your network of friends, family, and loved ones can come together to make a meaningful difference. In this way, your influence extends far beyond what any one individual could give, transforming collective care into tangible support for our mission.

We invite you to consider requesting donations to EOLCNY in lieu of flowers, whether in your own plans or when honoring the life of someone close to you. By doing so, you help introduce new supporters to our work, sustain our efforts, and create a legacy of understanding that continues well beyond a single moment.

Sincerely,
Mandi Zucker
Executive Director

Recent Events & Updates

Check out our 2024-2025 Annual Report

Our Annual Report for the last fiscal year is finally ready and available for everyone to read. Please check it out and learn about our accomplishments last fiscal year, ending in June, 2025. Obviously, much has happened since then that we are incredibly proud of, but this is a great summary of the work we accomplished until that point.

We are incredibly proud of our accomplishments, and much of that is due to your support. Please read this with the same pride we have for all of the work we have done together!

Upcoming Events

We have several upcoming events that we encourage you to join. Find one, or several, options that you connect to and join us!

Fundraiser/Celebration- March 24 at 6:30 PM- We have reached capacity for this event so registration has been closed. If you would like an invitation, please let us know and we can put you on the waiting list. The event is free to attend, although we will ask for a donation.
In-Person Legacy League – March 26 at 10 AM – Join is in Manhattan at Pier 57 to be with community to demystify death and dying. It’s interactive and fun. Register for this free event here.
Whose Death is it Anyway: Medical Aid in Dying in NYS. March 31 at 2 PM on zoom. Join David Leven as he discusses the Medical Aid in Dying Act, how it differs from other end of life options, safeguards and misconceptions and the broader implications for dignity, autonomy and aging justice. Hosted by The Grey Panthers. Register here.
Preparing for End of Life for Dummies… And You Too! April 23 at 12:00 PM. “End of life” can be a daunting, intimidating, and even scary phrase. But it doesn’t have to overwhelm you. You have the power to make decisions about your future that help secure the well-being of your loved ones and bring a sense of comfort. And that’s a great thing! Come join us for a talk with Dr. Virginia Chang of Till The Last to discuss her new book Preparing For End of Life For Dummies. In her book, Dr. Chang offers a positive and meaningful approach to end-of-life planning that helps you make the most of the time you and your loved ones are granted. Register for this free event here.

Update on Medical Aid in Dying Implementation

The National Institutes of Health is currently recruiting for a study to understand the experiences of patients and caregivers who are considering medical aid in dying.They are looking to recruit 300 patients across the country. If you are interested in participating in this study, please learn more about it here

Please continue to share the flyer highlighting our partnership with the Academy of Aid-in-Dying Medicine with anyone you think could benefit from resources and education. Together with The Academy, we are your go-to source for all things related to the implementation of excellent aid-in-dying care. Please reach out to us with questions, concerns and needs.

We are already getting requests from people asking to be connected to doctors and other clinicians who can support them once the law goes into effect. But we won’t know who is providing what unless you tell us. If you are a clinician of any sort (doctor, nurse, social worker, chaplain, volunteer, doula, etc.), please complete this survey. We are working on a map of services around the state. This survey will allow us to peer people to the right clinicians//facilities in their neighborhood.

If you learn of trainings in your community, please forward them to us so we can reach out and let them know about the support we can provide. We are thrilled that we have been seeing trainings popping up and we want to support any organization to provide the best quality care possible.

We are also getting many requests by major media outlets to interview people who are considering this option when it becomes available. This is an important way we can use the media to bring more awareness about this option. If you have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and will likely be eligible to use medical aid in dying in the next 6-12 months, and you’d be willing to talk to the media either in print or on TV, please let me know. I can put you in touch with very sensitive reporters and producers who want to help share your story in a compassionate and dignified manner.

Ask Us Anything

Q: Is the process of medical aid in dying painful?

A: According to Dr. Lonny Shavelson, Director of Education at The Academy of Aid-in-Dying Medicine, “The medications are bitter, but after they’re swallowed, the patient is rapidly sedated within a few minutes, and then deeply unconscious within 5 to 10 minutes. After that, it can take minutes to hours to die, but the patient is unaware of any physical feelings or time passing. Any pain or suffering they’ve experienced is gone within a few minutes.”

If you have a question you’d like answered, send it here!

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