Menu
  • About Us
  • Our Issues
  • Resources
  • News & Events
  • Take Action
  • Donate
    • More Ways to Give
    • Planned Giving
    • Donor Privacy Policy
  • flag_circle
    Our Mission Compassion & Choices improves care, expands options and empowers everyone to chart their end-of-life journey.
  • attach_money
    Financial Info Access our annual and financial reports and trusted charitable ratings.
  • people
    Leadership, Board & Committees Meet our Senior Leadership and esteemed Board and Committee members
  • build
    Our Work Compassion & Choices is the nation’s oldest, largest and most active nonprofit working to improve care, expand options and empower everyone to chart their end-of-life journey.
About Us Continued
  • Federal Advocacy
  • State Advocacy
  • Legal Advocacy
  • Community Engagement
  • Medical Engagement and Education
  • people
    Healthcare Equity at the End of Life Compassion & Choices is working in partnership with our Leadership Councils and partner organizations to address inequities in end-of-life care and planning.
  • psychology
    Dementia End-of-Life Care We're working to transform how people die with dementia to ensure people are aware, empowered and supported in getting the care they want – or do not want – should dementia take hold.
  • home
    Medical Aid in Dying Compassion & Choices is leading efforts to authorize, implement and defend medical aid in dying so all terminally ill people who are eligible will have access to the full range of end-of-life care options.
  • block
    Voluntarily Stop Eating and Drinking Compassion & Choices is working to raise awareness about the option of voluntarily stopping eating and drinking.
Our Issues Continued
  • Telehealth
  • Palliative Sedation
  • Palliative Care
  • Hospice Care
  • Advance Care Planning
  • Unwanted Medical Treatment
  • Refusals to Provide Care
  • build
    Tools to Finish Strong Access all of our end-of-life planning tools to Finish Strong
  • group
    End of Life Consultation Services Our End-of-Life Consultation Program (EOLC) provides confidential, nonjudgmental, professional support around end-of-life planning, anywhere in the country.
  • fact_check
    Materials Everything we do at Compassion & Choices is about empowering patients to claim their voice and agency in end-of-life care.
  • medical_information
    Resources for Clinicians We partner with providers across the country to create and distribute training and resources for clinicians.
Resources Continued
  • Doc-to-Doc Consultation Services
  • Recursos en Español
  • See All Resources
  • newspaper
    News View the latest news and announcements from Compassion & Choices
  • record_voice_over
    Stories Read stories and testimonials from our advocates around the country.
  • event
    Events & Webinars See what's happening soon and sign up for an event near you.
  • video_camera_front
    Past Webinar Archive Join our webinar series as we invite medical and health experts, end-of-life professionals, policy makers and story tellers to give you the information you need to navigate your care preferences for the end of life.
News & Events Continued
  • Annual Reports
  • Magazine
  • Newsletters
  • Signature Event
  • Signature Song
  • redeem
    Donate Join donors from across the country by making a tax-deductible contribution today!
  • volunteer_activism
    Volunteer Find direction, training and materials that engage volunteers to be part of the Volunteer Advocacy Network
  • contacts
    Contact Your Legislator Your calls and letters will show lawmakers how deeply their constituents want medical aid in dying in their state.
  • co_present
    Share Your Story The power of personal stories to inspire and drive change is undeniable. Everyone has a story and we want to hear your voice.
Take Action Continued
  • Leave A Legacy
  • Plan Your End of Life Care
  • Advocate Virtually
  • About Us keyboard_arrow_down
    • attach_money
      Financial Info Access our annual and financial reports and trusted charitable ratings.
    • people
      Leadership, Board & Committees Meet our Senior Leadership and esteemed Board and Committee members
    • flag_circle
      Our Mission Compassion & Choices improves care, expands options and empowers everyone to chart their end-of-life journey.
    • build
      Our Work Compassion & Choices is the nation’s oldest, largest and most active nonprofit working to improve care, expand options and empower everyone to chart their end-of-life journey.
    About Us Continued
    • Community Engagement
    • Federal Advocacy
    • Legal Advocacy
    • Medical Engagement and Education
    • State Advocacy
  • Resources keyboard_arrow_down
    • group
      End of Life Consultation Services Our End-of-Life Consultation Program (EOLC) provides confidential, nonjudgmental, professional support around end-of-life planning, anywhere in the country.
    • fact_check
      Materials Everything we do at Compassion & Choices is about empowering patients to claim their voice and agency in end-of-life care.
    • medical_information
      Resources for Clinicians We partner with providers across the country to create and distribute training and resources for clinicians.
    • build
      Tools to Finish Strong Access all of our end-of-life planning tools to Finish Strong
    Resources Continued
    • Doc-to-Doc Consultation Services
    • Recursos en Español
    • See All Resources
  • News & Events keyboard_arrow_down
    • event
      Events & Webinars See what's happening soon and sign up for an event near you.
    • newspaper
      News View the latest news and announcements from Compassion & Choices
    • video_camera_front
      Past Webinar Archive Join our webinar series as we invite medical and health experts, end-of-life professionals, policy makers and story tellers to give you the information you need to navigate your care preferences for the end of life.
    • record_voice_over
      Stories Read stories and testimonials from our advocates around the country.
    News & Events Continued
    • Annual Reports
    • Magazine
    • Newsletters
    • Signature Event
    • Signature Song
  • Take Action keyboard_arrow_down
    • contacts
      Contact Your Legislator Your calls and letters will show lawmakers how deeply their constituents want medical aid in dying in their state.
    • redeem
      Donate Join donors from across the country by making a tax-deductible contribution today!
    • co_present
      Share Your Story The power of personal stories to inspire and drive change is undeniable. Everyone has a story and we want to hear your voice.
    • volunteer_activism
      Volunteer Find direction, training and materials that engage volunteers to be part of the Volunteer Advocacy Network
    Take Action Continued
    • Advocate Virtually
    • Leave A Legacy
    • Plan Your End of Life Care
  • Our Issues keyboard_arrow_down
    • psychology
      Dementia End-of-Life Care We're working to transform how people die with dementia to ensure people are aware, empowered and supported in getting the care they want – or do not want – should dementia take hold.
    • people
      Healthcare Equity at the End of Life Compassion & Choices is working in partnership with our Leadership Councils and partner organizations to address inequities in end-of-life care and planning.
    • home
      Medical Aid in Dying Compassion & Choices is leading efforts to authorize, implement and defend medical aid in dying so all terminally ill people who are eligible will have access to the full range of end-of-life care options.
    • block
      Voluntarily Stop Eating and Drinking Compassion & Choices is working to raise awareness about the option of voluntarily stopping eating and drinking.
    Our Issues Continued
    • Advance Care Planning
    • Hospice Care
    • Palliative Care
    • Palliative Sedation
    • Refusals to Provide Care
    • Telehealth
    • Unwanted Medical Treatment
Donate

Latest News in California

End-of-Life Care Advocacy Group Announces Recipient of Annual Rev. Dr. Paul Smith Award

Rev. Madison Shockley of Carlsbad, CA is this year’s honoree

Feb 16, 2022 Rev. Dr. Paul Smith Award Rev. Madison Shockley

Today, Compassion & Choices announced Rev. Madison Shockley will receive the Rev. Dr. Paul Smith Award, named in honor of civil rights leader and end-of-life options advocate Rev. Dr. Paul Smith. Rev. Dr. Smith was the inaugural recipient of the award and is at the vanguard of advocating for improving end-of-life options for all. 

This year’s award will be presented to Rev. Shockley for his unwavering commitment to improving end-of-life care and options in his community and beyond. Rev. Shockley is the pastor at Pilgrim United Church of Christ (UCC) in Carlsbad, California.

The Rev. Dr. Paul Smith Award is given annually to a faith leader who is dedicated to the end-of-life options movement. Faith leaders of every denomination have a unique challenge and opportunity to discuss end-of-life issues with their constituents and communities. These leaders have always played a critical role in end-of-life advocacy, as evidenced by Rev. Dr. Paul Smith’s integral role in early efforts to pass medical aid-in-dying legislation. Medical aid in dying is authorized in Oregon (1994), Washington (2008), Montana (2009), Vermont (2013), California (2015), Colorado (2016), the District of Columbia (2016), Hawai‘i (2018), New Jersey (2019), Maine (2019) and New Mexico (2021).

Rev. Dr. Smith has been critical in reaching new audiences and engaging the Black community in these important conversations. Rev. Shockley, a member of the Compassion & Choices Board of Directors, continues this tradition and is committed to a vision of a diverse, equitable and inclusive movement, and recognizes that everyone should have access to a patient-directed end-of-life experience regardless of their ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or age.

Rev. Shockley is also a member of the Compassion & Choices African American Leadership Council, served on the Compassion & Choices Strategic Impact Committee and lends his voice to end-of-life education and planning efforts, including in virtual events and educational videos.

Future recipients will be chosen by the Compassion & Choices leadership team. 

"Rev. Madison Shockley has been and continues to be a transformational figure in this movement," said Kim Callinan, president and CEO of Compassion & Choices. "His powerful voice has lifted the issue of end-of-life in new ways and has been vital to helping many, many people explore and talk about their own end-of-life wishes and preferences. His impact is extensive, from his work in service to his congregation to his role in the authorization and reauthorization of the California End of Life Option Act, to his service on the Compassion & Choices board of directors. Rev Shockley is a powerful voice for the end-of-life movement."

Rev. Shockley's support was integral to the passage of California’s End of Life Option Act. This law gives mentally capable, terminally ill adults with six months or less to live the option to request prescription medication they can decide to take to peacefully end unbearable suffering. Beyond California, Rev. Shockley has participated in rallies and lobbying efforts in numerous states over the years. He has also participated in countless events and educational opportunities encouraging the Black community and beyond to make end-of-life planning a priority.

“Since I first met Rev. Shockley in 2009, he has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to our mission,” said Brandi Alexander, national director of community engagement at Compassion & Choices. “He cares deeply about providing education and resources to all communities and empowering others to do the same.”
101 SW Madison Street, #8009
Portland, OR 97207

Mail contributions directly to:
Compassion & Choices Gift Processing Center
PO Box 485
Etna, NH 03750
  • Ways to Give
  • Volunteer
  • Legal Advocacy
  • Community Outreach
  • Stories
  • In Your State
  • News
  • Magazine
  • Jobs
  • Planned Giving
  • Donate
©2022 Compassion & Choices
Donor Privacy Policy — Contact
Media Contacts
It's Not Assisted Suicide

Top