Ninety percent of people say that it’s important to talk with loved ones about the health care they would want if they were unable to communicate with their providers. Yet only 27 percent have had that conversation.

Speak(easy) Howard encourages people to take two critical first steps in advance care planning: to speak with loved ones about their health care wishes and to identify a health care agent who can communicate these wishes if they are unable to speak for themselves.

Three thousand people have documented their advance directives since the launch of this campaign, thanks to the partnership of more than a dozen organizations including faith groups, health care providers and community groups. Speak(easy) Howard also hosted four events with Columbia Festival of the Arts in 2018, drawing hundreds of people to see film, storytelling, comedy and readings highlighting what it means to live your best life all the way to the end.