The family of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, M.D. is proud to announce that it has donated the official archival collection of the late iconic psychiatrist, author and pioneer of palliative care to the Special Collections Department at Stanford Libraries. Dr. Kübler-Ross is the legendary author of 24 books, including the groundbreaking bestseller On Death and Dying, which is published in its 50th anniversary edition.

Stanford University took into account the immensely beneficial influence of Dr. Kübler-Ross in society and medicine when it decided to act on the basis of widespread interest in her life’s work at the leading centre of academic excellence. "The Kübler-Ross Archive is a wonderful addition to our Special Collections Department and offers a great opportunity for interdisciplinary research and exploration in law, medicine and sociology, to name but a few," said Matt Marostica, Associate University Librarian for the Public Service and Collective Department.

Dr. Karl Lorenz, Section Head of the VA Palo Alto-Stanford Palliative Care Programs and Dr. David Magnus and Maren Monsen. Dr. Lorenz noted: "Her work informs in important ways the goals of Stanford’s own palliative care programs; for example, their emphasis on care is the responsibility of each physician, not the province of a specialist."

The archive collection also includes thousands of letters from dozens of countries, reflecting Elisabeth’s influence around the world. Stanford also plans to host a conference on the contemporary relevance of Dr. Kübler-Ross' work. Also, Dr. Maren Monsen, palliative care physician, clinical ethics specialist and Stanford filmmaker, develops a documentary film and educational videos for distribution to multidisciplinary apprentices in the health professions using the extensive video components of the Kübler-Ross Archive.

Ken Ross, president of the Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Foundation and his sister, Barbara Rothweiler, Ph.D. are honored to collaborate with Stanford University and the Department of Special Collections of Stanford Libraries.

"Our mother’s vast collection of correspondence, photographs, video and audio recordings, books, and more, deserves to be preserved and shared with patients and providers alike, as her messages of compassionate care for the dying and the grieving are eternal. One of her greatest wishes was that all those facing the end of life should have their perspectives heard and respected. By donating this collection of archives to Stanford, we hope that you all will help carry forward this important work for generations to come."

Read the Stanford Medical News article "What the Elisabeth Kübler-Ross File means for the Department of Medicine" here.