close-up of hands passing an offering box

The Honor Project

The UCSF Neuro-Oncology staff routinely deals with serious illness and death. The Honor Project was designed by Rosemary Rossi, MSW as a meaning-centered team intervention to address the loss and grief we feel when our patients die.

When notified of a death, the team member pauses and mindfully writes the name of the person on a card and places it on the “altar,” a decorative shelf mounted in a staff-only area of the clinic. Team members often personalize the cards. Chocolate is left on the altar as an offering to those writing a name “to ease the bitterness of death and remind us of the sweetness of life.”

On the fourth Thursday afternoon of each month, we stop our work and join together to read the names aloud. We share stories, memories, tears, laughter, and a moment of silence for each person we came to know. To close out the gathering, the team is led in meditation or silent contemplation of a poem or relevant passage. Patient families are notified that we have honored their loved one in this special way.

The cards with the names of the deceased are saved throughout the year and recycled into pulp paper. This pulp paper is used to create an end-of-year gift for the whole team. In years past, this included a bookmark, a greeting card, or seed paper.

Finally, staff gather for an annual Day of Remembrance event. The names of our deceased patients, along with any available pictures, are presented on a large board. This board serves as an altar where staff gather to place flowers, share in a meal together, and say a final goodbye those we have had the privilege to care for.

All neuro-oncology staff are invited to participate in The Honor Project.

To learn more, or for support on implementation at your own institution, contact Rosemary Rossi (Rosemaryinsf@gmail.com).

Additional Resources