Volunteer Spotlight: Karen Morin Green

Apr 23, 2018 Karen Morin Green volunteer spotlight volunteers

Karen Morin Green, a Los Angeles nurse who has worked with AIDS patients, in oncology and in hospice, helped C&C pass California’s law and now coordinates End-of-Life Consultation volunteers. “Of course it’s sad sometimes, but it’s sadder when you hear about people who can’t get what they want, who are struggling, who are suffering in ways most people couldn’t understand and don’t have options.”

Karen Morin Green’s background is in nursing — first in an AIDS unit, then in oncology and hospice before working at a cancer support center. “I really got to understand both sides of the care, and what people were experiencing and what they needed,” says Karen.

It was during that time that her husband became ill and was diagnosed with a brain tumor. “At first we thought, ‘Oh, it’ll be five or 10 years,’ but he died within 13 months. So I worked for a little longer, then I said alright, I need to take a break from this cancer stuff for a bit,” Karen explains. “Somewhere I had heard that Compassion & Choices was working on passing the medical-aid-in dying law, and I became very interested. So I called up and said I wanted to get involved because I had seen death and dying from a number of perspectives, and I really felt strongly that this was something that we needed.”

She started attending rallies, speaking at events, and working with nurses and medical groups. Then after the law passed, she began helping with the California Access Campaign, informing various groups about end-of-life options. Recently she was part of a Los Angeles radio program with a palliative care doctor and a rabbi discussing death and medical aid in dying. Karen now also coordinates other Southern California End-of-Life Consultation volunteers, working one-on-one with people. “It is very rewarding when someone calls who is feeling so alone and unhappy and just stuck, and our volunteers can spend time with them and help them find out what their options are,” Karen says. “Of course it’s sad sometimes, but it’s sadder when you hear about people who can’t get what they want, who are struggling, who are suffering in ways most people couldn’t understand and don’t have options.”