AUGUST 29, 2024
At the most recent meeting of the International Work Group on Death, Dying, and Bereavement, Dr. Stephen Fleming was the recipient of the prestigious Herman Feifel Award. This award is named after an internationally-recognized pioneer whose prodigious research efforts were instrumental in dismantling the prevailing taboo that discouraged scientific study of death and dying. The Feifel Award "recognizes exceptional achievement in thanatology on the part of individuals (as opposed to organizations) who have made distinctive contributions to the field, usually of a longstanding nature. Criteria for such recognition of merit encompass all forms of achievement in the field, whether clinical, organizational or scholarly, in keeping with the spirit of our organization."
The International Work Group on Death, Dying, and Bereavement (IWG) is a professional organization that brings together experts from various countries and disciplines to address issues related to terminal illness, grief, and mourning. IWG’s aim is to improve the understanding and practices surrounding death, dying, and bereavement through research, education, and the development of guidelines and protocols to provide ethical, compassionate, and effective care to those who are dying and to the bereaved.
With a diverse international membership, the IWG incorporates a wide range of cultural perspectives recognizing that customs, beliefs, and practices surrounding death and mourning can vary significantly across different societies.