Facing Death on Your Terms

Wendy Norman has been researching and engaging with end-of-life issues for over 15 years. Her interest in the field was sparked in 2006 when her mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. This experience underscored the critical importance of having a plan in place before illness occurs, particularly when cognitive decline is a factor. Driven by a desire to help others recognize the value of pre-planning, Wendy became an end-of-life planning consultant in 2017. In 2019, she made the decision to leave a successful 25-year career in marketing and program management to dedicate her time and energy to end-of-life planning, education, and awareness. In 2020, Wendy helped create and lead a team of volunteers to launch End of Life Ready, an education and awareness program hosted by End of Life Washington. Building on that experience, she founded Known Wishes to further broaden and deepen end-of-life education.

Dr. George Birchfield has long championed values-driven medical decision making, especially in the face of aggressive diagnoses and serious illness. He believes that medicine is not just about extending life, but about aligning care with what matters most to each individual. This guiding principle shaped his career as a Hematologist and Medical Oncologist in Seattle from 1991 to 2018, and later inspired a profound shift in focus. From 2018 to 2025, he served as an Inpatient Hospice and Palliative Medicine Specialist at Evergreen Health in Kirkland, where he deepened his commitment to helping patients navigate complex treatment and end-of-life decisions with clarity, compassion, and respect for their personal values. A graduate of the University of Washington School of Medicine (Class of 1985), Dr. Birchfield has continued to shape the future of medicine through his service on the UW School of Medicine Admissions Committee since 2019.

Presented by Town Hall Seattle and Known Wishes.