Maureen Groden, a hospice nurse, educator, and author of “When a Loved One is Dying: Conversations About Care, Connection, and Coping,” will be the keynote speaker at the 2026 James Wake Memorial Lecture on Friday, Nov. 20. The lecture is co-hosted by the Marquette College of Nursing and the Institute for Palliative and End-of-Life Care.
Registration for the lecture will begin at 11:30 a.m. and the lecture itself will run from 12-1:30 p.m. on the first floor of David A. Straz, Jr. Hall. Attendees can enjoy a complimentary lunch, and a dessert reception will immediately follow the lecture. Attendance is free, but attendees are asked to register ahead of time. Those unable to attend in-person may access the lecture virtually.
Groden will discuss using storytelling as a means of conveying information to the public about end-of-life care. Attendees will hear excerpts from her book about navigating emotional challenges and supporting loved ones with compassion and confidence. Groden also plans to discuss how health professionals can best support families with approaches that promote connection, resilience and meaningful communication.
During her career, Groden held leadership positions as the director of hospice and palliative care at several major health care systems, including Mass General Brigham/Cooley Dickinson and Hospice Life Care/Holyoke Medical Center. In addition to clinical leadership, Groden has taught community health nursing at several baccalaureate nursing programs, primarily the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
After the keynote talk, there will be a reactor panel featuring Dr. Martha Badger and Dr. Glenn Ragalie. Badger has been a registered nurse for 35 years and is the co-founder of the Greater Milwaukee Death Doulas. Ragalie served as the medical director for Aurora Zilber Family Hospice and home hospice program for 11 years.
About the Wake Lecture
This biennial lecture is held in honor of James Wake, the late husband of former College of Nursing dean and University Provost Dr. Madeline Wake. James was devoted to helping others through social work, chaplaincy and end-of-life-ministry. In his honor, the lecture features speakers with expertise in palliative and end-of-life care to discuss how caregivers can approach the dying process with respect and dignity. Read more about James Wake here.
