Dr. Julian Seifter, one of the leading kidney specialists in the country, an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School and author of the critically acclaimed book, After the Diagnosis: Transcending Chronic Illness, will speak at Congregation Beth El in Sudbury at 4:00 PM on Sunday, April 10, 2011.
The talk, "How to Live Before You Die" will be based on his well received recent book. Using actual case studies, Dr. Seifter will discuss what he has learned from his patients who often have difficult medical conditions that detract from carrying on their life in the way they’d like. He offers strategies helpful in managing chronic challenges on a day-to-day basis while maintaining a positive, productive life. Dr. Seifter, through his own experience with chronic disease, has gained an appreciation of the importance of self-growth in the midst of the losses that accompany illness.
Dr. Seifter, who has been interviewed by the NY Times and NPR, and spoken in many venues across the country, shares his philosophy in this way, “The message, in short, is: You are not your disease. You are you. Paradoxically, rather than destroy your identity, the experience of sickness can deepen your sense of who you are and what you can become.”
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Publishers Weekly praises Dr. Seifter’s book, "Here's a doctor who understands his ailing patients all too well. Seifter, a noted kidney specialist, Harvard Medical School professor, and a diabetic, presents a poignant tribute to those who have faced their illness "in just the right way": neither denying the illness nor becoming totally identified by it. And their stories offer an important lesson for the rest of us, too: when we're sick, "tolerance, forgiveness, and acceptance" will help us stay alive with joy and purpose."
The talk, which will be followed by a Q&A session and refreshments, is open to the public. No registration is required. Signed books will be available for purchase at the event.
