As a healthcare provider, you know that serious illness, caregiving, end of life and grief affect people physically, emotionally, spiritually and socially.   Even when people have access to healthcare, there are real limits to what the healthcare system can do.  Healthcare alone is not equipped to offer the healing that people need in the broadest sense of the word.

At Project Compassion, we work with individuals, family, organizations and communities to offer care and support that complements the treatments and services healthcare provides.  We also offer education and support for healthcare providers, giving you opportunities to explore important patient-centered topics often overlooked by healthcare systems.  

This orientation page will help you discover ways to:

1.  Learn about Resources, Workshops and Services

There are helpful resources on our website for expanding your information base:        

• The Resources section offers printable information and a Resource Guide with a wide range of organizations and websites focused on illness, caregiving, end of life and grief.   
• See Publications and Educational Events for further resources on illness, caregiving, end of life issues and grief.    

2.  Make Effective Referrals

Healthcare providers with patients and families that live in the Triangle area of NC can make direct referrals to Project Compassion to receive free volunteer caregiving support:

• Support Teams are a free service for individuals and families living with illness and caregiving living in Durham, Orange and Chatham counties in NC who would benefit from additional community support.  For more information about making an appropriate referral, click here.
• Circles of Care is an initiative that provides health information, access to care, practical caregiving and spiritual support to African Americans living with advanced cancer and other illnesses in Durham, Orange, Chatham and Wake counties in NC. For more information about making an appropriate referral, click here.      

3.  Sharpen Your Advocacy Skills

When someone lives with illness or caregiving, advocacy has never been more important.   Unfortunately, being a patient or caregiver often requires people to be at their best when they feel at their worst.  By sharpening your patient advocacy skills, you will help:

• understand their choices
• prevent medical errors
• get the best care available
• be fully prepared to advocate as needed  

Here are resources available to help you improve your patient advocacy skills:

• Read advocacy tips for professionals in Resources.
• Read Tiffany Christensen's Top 10 Tips and Tricks for Navigating the Healthcare Maze.
• Get a copy of “Finding Your Voice in the Healthcare Maze: A Patient Advocacy Workbook” by Tiffany Christensen.  Based on Project Compassion’s Finding Your Voice workshop for patients, caregivers and community members, this workbook offer tips, strategies and exercises to “bring the workshop home.” 
• Participate in a Finding Your Voice workshop for professionals.  If you are a healthcare professional in NC, there may be a Finding Your Voice workshop coming to your area.   To learn more go to Finding Your Voice. 
• Host a Finding Your Voice workshop for professionals.  If your organization is in NC, Project Compassion may be able to partner with you to offer a free Finding Your Voice consumer workshop. To learn more go to Finding Your Voice. 

It’s important for all healthcare providers to hone Advance Care Planning skills.  Whether or not you work with patients and families who are living with a serious illness or are at the end of life, it’s important to know how to help others plan ahead.  It is important for you to plan ahead as well. Half of all Americans will reach a time when they are unable to speak for themselves to make important health care decisions due to illness or accident. 

• Consult our Advance Care Planning Resource Center to learn about the advance care planning process, access forms and helpful tools, such as Getting It Together.
• Access the Finding Your Voice Patient Advocacy Workbook for helpful information on advance care planning and organ and tissue donation. 

4.  Help Improve Healthcare from the Inside Out

By partnering with Project Compassion, your healthcare entity can help patients, caregivers, community members and employees improve care and access the services and support they need.  You will also demonstrate your commitment as a compassionate healthcare agency that cares about community.  Here are some ideas: 

• Publicize the issues you learn about through Project Compassion to your patients, community members and employees.  Refer your patients or employees to our website, connecting them with our shared mission.
• Partner with Project Compassion to launch Support Teams or participate in a Finding Your Voice workshop. 
• Purchase Project Compassion resources for distribution. 
• Underwrite a Project Compassion event, e-letter or this website to spread the word and show your commitment.  To learn more about the benefits of becoming a financial sponsor, contact James Brooks at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   or (919) 402-1844.
• Make a contribution to underwrite Project Compassion’s work or host a fundraiser to benefit Project Compassion.  Your support helps us continue this important work.  To learn more about the benefits of becoming a financial sponsor, contact James Brooks at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   or (919) 402-1844.  

We hope these resources and ideas will help you as you support others.  We encourage you to explore our website fully, subscribe to our e-letter and share our resources with your members and employees. 

We hope you will consider partnering with us!  Go to Partners for more information.  We look forward to having you as part of our Project Compassion community!