The Future of Healing

The John & Wauna Harman Foundation's mission is to encourage Americans of all backgrounds to have meaningful conversations about what matters most to them so that they can have a say in their care when the end of life approaches. We do this by supporting organizations and projects that help people engage in talking about death, shifting from silence to sharing what’s most important to them through the end. For twenty-five years, we have cultivated close relationships with diverse partners, providing support that puts communities first and deepens our learning as we give.

We are honored to provide Reimagine a leadership gift to kickstart a wave of transformation in how society supports diverse communities in processing loss, adversity, and mortality. As individuals, family members, and care professionals, we can get so caught up in our medical system’s orientation toward cure that we sometimes forget that death and suffering are natural and inevitable. Too often, this results in ineffective treatment that is inconsistent with people’s values and wishes and puts tremendous strain on families while also contributing to spiraling healthcare costs.

We envision a society in which each person’s values are honored in the care they receive, all the way through the end of their lives.