Foundation News

2025 has been an exceptional year at the Cunniff-Dixon Foundation, advancing our mission to strengthen the provider-patient relationship at the end of life through targeted education, strategic collaborations, and meaningful recognition programs. Our efforts reached thousands of healthcare professionals, patients, and caregivers nationwide, fostering compassionate care and innovative end-of-life planning. Highlights include: Celebrating three exceptional

Spotlight on Compassion: The Enduring Legacy of Mel Mayorga, RN, MSN, CNS, AGCNS-BC, OCN In the bustling heart of downtown Los Angeles, where the demands of cutting-edge cancer care meet the quiet dignity of end-of-life support, one nurse stands as a beacon of unwavering empathy and innovation. Meet Mel Mayorga, a Clinical Nurse Specialist in

2026 Hastings Center Cunniff-Dixon Physician Awards Call for Nominations Nominations are open as of October 1, 2025, for the 2026 Hastings Center Cunniff-Dixon Physician Awards, which recognize physicians who provide outstanding care to patients nearing the end of life. The 2026 awards include: Three Early-Career Physician Awards: Each award provides $15,000 to a physician with

Celebrating Erin Collins, 2025 CDF Nursing Awardee and Trailblazer Blending Clinical Expertise with Empathy On July 24, 2025, the Cunniff Dixon Foundation proudly honored Erin Collins, MN, RN, CHPN, Co-founder and Director of Programs at The Peaceful Presence Project, as a 2025 CDF Nursing Awardee. The celebration took place during the End of Life Nursing

On campus at the University of Portland with amazing palliative care nursing educators. The Cunniff-Dixon Foundation (CDF) is dedicated to enhancing the provider-patient relationship at the end of life through education, collaboration, and recognition. In line with this mission, CDF proudly supports the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) Faculty Development and Leadership in Palliative Care

We are proud to present an Influencer Interview with Arion Lillard-Green, MHA, M.TS.  Arion Lillard-Green, MHA, M.TS, is a native of Prince George’s County, Maryland.  Lillard-Green has emerged as a passionate advocate for equity and inclusion. As a first-generation college student, Arion navigated her academic journey with resilience, balancing her studies with leadership roles that

A Heartfelt Celebration for 2024 Mid-Career Awardee, Lynn Flint, MD! We’re absolutely thrilled to shine a spotlight on the incredible Lynn Flint, MD, Medical Director of Outpatient Palliative Care at the San Francisco VA Health Care System, who’s been honored as a 2024 Mid-Career Awardee! ???? Lynn’s dedication to her patients and her field is

Thrilled to showcase our Influencer Interview with Robert Macauley, M.D., F.A.A.P., F.A.A.H.P.M.  As one of the few pediatric palliative care doctors in the United States, Bob Macauley was used to people saying, “I’m so glad I don’t have your job.” He would explain that palliative care is more about living than dying, then offer to

2025 Hastings Center Cunniff-Dixon Nursing Awards Announced The Hastings Center and The Cunniff-Dixon Foundation are pleased to announce three recipients of the 2025 Hastings Center Cunniff-Dixon Nursing Awards, which honor nurses who demonstrate extraordinary compassion and skill in caring for patients nearing the end of life. The Cunniff-Dixon Foundation, whose mission is to enrich the

  Celebrating National Healthcare Decision-Making Day with Heart and Purpose Andy Baxter, the compassionate and loving founder of the Cunniff-Dixon Foundation (CDF), lost his beloved wife, Carley Cunniff, to metastatic breast cancer. Carley was cared for by their family physician, Peter Dixon, MD. Thanks to Peter’s gentle and expert care, Carley passed away peacefully at