CMA Member’s New Book About Palliative Medicine

November 20, 2024

Catholic Medical Association (USA) member Dr. Natalie King’s newly published book called Intensive Caring:  A Practical Handbook for Catholics About Serious Illness and End-Of-Life Care, is the perfect resource to help Catholics navigate the complexities of health care during the last stage of life.

Dr. King is a palliative medicine physician and national speaker educating and advocating for the expansion of palliative medicine as the best way to safeguard human dignity at the end of a person’s life. She has also been an integral part of CMA’s pre-conference End-of-Life Forum for several years.  

Dr. King was inspired to write this book because she discovered from her speaking engagements that there were many misunderstandings related to end-of-life issues from the questions she has received by devout Catholics.

These misunderstandings “impart fear, making this time of life particularly stressful and frightening to navigate,” she explains in her book. “My heart continues to break open and connect with the many people I meet in my audiences. I see patients who struggle with these tough medical issues and who want desperately to remain faithful to the Catholic faith they love. Addressing their questions and commitments became the foundation for this book.”

The book contains ten chapters, each answering a major concern or debunking a misconception, and written in such a way that it could be read through cover-to-cover or by the topic of interest related to a person’s specific situation. The questions the book answers includes:

• What is palliative care, and how is it different from hospice?

• If I am diagnosed with a serious illness, what kinds of questions should I ask my doctor?

• How do I approach thinking about which health care options are best for me, and how do I communicate my preferences to my family?

• What are advance directives, why do they matter, and what is important to include as a Catholic?

• What is a “DNR,” and how should I understand and choose my options around resuscitation?

• What does the Catholic Church say about artificial nutrition and hydration?

•How do I advocate for my loved one’s dignity nearing the end of their life?

Dr. King shares real-life patient stories along with practical medical information to help the reader better understand how to apply one’s faith commitment to one’s health care choices.

In addition to sound medical advice, Dr. King also shares spiritual lessons and encouragement she’s learned over the past decade through serving patients in this stage of life. This book is of benefit to anyone –including priests, pastoral workers, and health care professionals – wishing to gain a deeper understanding of how to apply Catholic teaching to intricate medical dilemmas.

“I want to impart clarity and provide reassurance,” Dr. King writes. “My hope and prayer are that these pages become for you a trusted, practical tool for tackling with confidence some of life’s toughest decisions.”