Ira Byock, M. D., a nationally recognized authority in palliative and end-of-life care, has been a longtime advocate on behalf of seriously ill people and their families.

He is Co-founder of the Life’s End  Institute: Missoula  Demonstration Project, Inc., a community-based organization working to improve end-of-life experience. He heads the  national Promoting Excellence in End-of-Life Care program for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’. Dr. Byock is a faculty member at Dartmouth School of Medicine and director of palliative medicine at Dartmouth.

"Please forgive me,"  "I forgive you," "Thank you," and "I love you."
"For years I have taught these simple, yet profound statements to patients who were forced to confront life's end -- and learned their value from patients and families. But 'the four things' apply at any time. They offer a powerful way to mend even our most troubled relationships and to nurture our cherished connections to the people we love. There is a transformative potential in saying the four things."   Ira Byock

"The 4 Things That Matter Most provides simple, insightful words and stories that move the heart and the soul.  Dr. Byock shows us a graceful way to nurture relationships and heal those that need mending."

 -- Zorba Paster, M.D., author of "The Longevity Code", host of public radio's "On Your   Health" and host of the public television special, "How to Live a Long, Sweet Life "

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