This discussion session of Literature and Medicine will feature Anne Fadiman’s The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, the true story of a clash of cultures in health care as doctors and other hospital workers attempt to help a young Hmong girl who is an epileptic.Literature and Medicine is a series of reading/discussion programs that offers opportunities for health care professionals to reflect on the larger mission of medicine. Illinois” participation in the expansion of this Maine Humanities Council program is supported by a grant from the NEH. Developed by the Maine Humanities Council, this program brings the power of the humanities to the workplace, in this case the modern hospital, engaging health care professionals with humanistic perspectives and insights that help them do their work better. Based on participants” experiences in the Maine program, we believe Lit & Med helps to improve communications between patient and caregiver and between hospital staff.

This discussion session is limited to Kishwaukee Health System employees.