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Description
In this oral history, palliative care physician and Mill Valley resident Bruce Miller, known as BJ, recounts the extraordinary and inspiring story of his life. At the age of 19, while a student at Princeton, BJ suffered a terrible accident that left him physically disabled. BJ describes his experience of coming to terms with his new life and body, including his determination to belong to a world not designed for people with disabilities. BJ explains how the accident launched him on an introspective journey, with sustained reflection on what it means to be a human being and the nature of suffering. This introspection served to deepen his sense of connection to others. BJ recounts how during his recovery process he discovered his vocation, and after graduating from college went on to study medicine at UCSF, developing a specialty in palliative care. BJ describes his subsequent work as Executive Director of the Zen Hospice Project and the TED talk he gave on end-of-life preparation. In 2007, BJ moved to Mill Valley after being seduced by the beauty of the town and falling in love with a house with a view of Mt. Tam. Throughout this oral history, BJ shares his wisdom about how to live and how to die, how to embrace mortality and thereby develop a deeper appreciation for life, and how a community can develop a culture of compassion.
Identifier
8FDA88F8-8AE5-486B-9497-282281513618 2017.154.001
Subject
Accidents Amputees Austin, Peter Baker, Jonathan Burke, Justin Hospice care Hospitalization Kilgore, Elizabeth Living with a disability Medical education Palliative care Physical disability UCSF Zen Hospice Project
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