Tea with Elisabeth

the international icon who changed the way the world thinks about death and dying

Considered by many to be one of the most heroic and influential women of all time, Swiss-born physician Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, M.D., transformed age-old taboos about death and dying through her compassionate work with seriously ill patients. She was an outspoken advocate for patient rights in all aspects — physical, emotional, social, and spiritual — and helped to found the hospice movement.

Central to Elisabeth’s success was her remarkable ability to establish a deep bond with others, whether inspiring millions through her landmark books, addressing a packed lecture hall, or sitting down to a hot cup of tea with a treasured guest. Taking tea was Elisabeth’s way of connecting and sharing in an extremely disconnected world. Symbolically, she truly did “take tea” with the entire global community through her groundbreaking work.

The fifty-one contributors to Tea with Elisabeth include bestselling authors, celebrities, hospice and palliative care leaders, colleagues, family, and friends. Their insightful, soul-stirring, and often humorous memories bring to life the colorful human side of this international icon who propelled humanity to a new level of understanding.

"Elisabeth gave life to death as no one has before or since."

— J. Donald Schumacher, Psy.D., President and CEO, National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization

"Elisabeth taught us that self-realization is an important part of understanding the meaning of life as well as our individual lives. It is not coincidence, then, that the woman who taught us so much about death and dying as a process was truly the greatest champion of life."

— Muhammad Ali