By Erin Wood
Jennifer A. O’Brien, a self-taught Little Rock artist whose work supports those delivering end-of-life care for others, is the winner of a prestigious Nautilus Book Award.
O’Brien’s book, The Hospice Doctor’s Widow: A Journal, was honored with a Silver Award in the “Death & Dying/Grief & Loss” category. Past nautilus award recipients have come from a diverse range of writers and celebrated contributors including wellbeing pioneer Dr. Deepak Chopra, human rights activist Desmond Tutu, and novelist Barbara Kingsolver. O’Brien said the award validates the essential conversations surrounding end-of-life issues that need to occur more often.
In the book, O’Brien chronicles her 22-month journey caring for her husband, Bob Lehmberg, MD, who died of cancer in 2017. She takes readers through a personal and frank conversation about her own reality—the same reality facing millions of caregivers daily. O’Brien notes that, even before the pandemic, about 53 million family caregivers spent up to 37 hours a week caring for loved ones facing death.
“The conversations are especially important for those who are probably going to outlive the person they are providing care for,” she said. “This book is one attempt to help caregivers feel supported caring for others, while also taking care of themselves. Caregiving for someone you love who is going to die is the hardest job you will ever do and the greatest honor,” she said.
The Hospice Doctor’s Widow is an 8 x 10 premium color hardback book available for order at etaliapress.com, and through local and national booksellers.
A Hot Springs native, Erin Wood is a writer, editor, and publisher in Little Rock. She owns and runs Et Alia Press (etaliapress.com). Wood is author of Women Make Arkansas: Conversations With 50 Creatives (April, 2019) and editor of and a contributor to Scars: An Anthology (2015).
