Who We Are
Increasing Awareness of Palliative Care through Story Telling
The Sherwin B. Nuland Foundation for Palliative Care was created in 2014 in response to the experience that Sherwin Nuland (Shep) and his family had when he was a patient with metastatic prostate cancer. The need for palliative care was immediate, access was limited but ultimately the support was there. We were fortunate, the rest of the world is often not so lucky.
The Nuland Foundation is dedicated to increasing awareness of palliative care. As a theater artist of over 30 years, the Foundation’s Founder and President Sarah Nuland, understands the impact of a story well told.
Mission
We are committed to relieving human suffering for patients with serious disease and giving support to their families.
Vision
It is our belief that upon diagnosis of a serious disease, the patient has the right to receive the support of palliative care.
Sarah Nuland
Founder and President
Sarah Nuland is the spouse of the late Sherwin B. Nuland. She has worked as a theatre professional for over 30 years.
Sarah Vidal, MPH
Executive Director
Sarah Vidal is an experienced healthcare executive. She has worked for 20+ years in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors with focus in strategy, analytics and marketing.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SBNF’s board of directors is drawn from nationally recognized palliative care professionals, non-profit development leadership, the financial industry and a member of the Nuland family.
SARAH NULAND
FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT
LYN TRAVERSE
SECRETARY
SUSAN BEDSOW HORGAN
TREASURER
TIMOTHY QUILL, MD
WILLIAM NULAND
CHRISTOPHER GETMAN
What is Palliative Care?
Palliative care is specialized medical care for people living with a serious illness. This type of care is focused on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of the illness. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family.
Palliative care is provided by a specially-trained team of doctors, nurses and other specialists who work together with a patient’s other doctors to provide an extra layer of support. Palliative care is based on the needs of the patient, not on the patient’s prognosis. It is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness, and it can be provided along with curative treatment.
Yale’s Endowed Professorship for Palliative Medicine Established
“The professorship is a mark of legitimacy for palliative care at Yale. We will be able to think about palliative care as woven into the fabric of the standard of care that we provide for all patients. It’s not just a specialty to which we refer patients when there’s nothing left to do, but rather one that’s truly integrated throughout the courses of all serious illness. There is a lot of work to do to meet that goal, but with this endowed chair, we’ll be able to work toward that.”
– Jennifer Kapo, MD Inaugural Appointee to the Sherwin B. Nuland and Michael K. Vlock Professorship of Palliative Medicine
Help The Nuland Foundation Achieve Its Goals
“Shep’s lifelong commitment to helping others finds a lasting and meaningful expression through the Sherwin B. Nuland Foundation for Palliative Care. We are honored and humbled to be a small part of this legacy to Shep’s extraordinary life and career.”
– Daniel Egan & Kate Glasne