The Danger of Fearing Death | Richard Holm | TEDxBrookings

After a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, Dr. Rick Holm faces the significant possibility of his own impending death. An internal medicine medical doctor for 39 years with a special interest in care of the elderly, Dr. Holm brings a physician perspective to cancer diagnosis. In this emotional and authentic talk, Rick encourages a life fully-lived instead of fearing death. Richard P. Holm MD is 68 and an internist who has taught medicine for three years at Emory U. School of Med. In Atlanta, practiced outpatient, inpatient, ER medicine in Brookings for 35 years. Now semi-retired, he is a Professor of Clinical Medicine for the USD, Sanford School of Medicine, an Adjunct Professor in Journalism at SDSU, prior Chief of Staff of Brookings Health System, Governor of the SD Chapter of the American College of Physicians, and President of the SD State Medical Association.
Rick was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer October 1st 2016, and has had full treatment with chemotherapy, radiation, and in May, the Whipple surgery to remove the cancer. It is said that he now has about a 50% chance of cure, and he is pleased with that. He has enjoyed for 25 years a local weekly ½ hour AM radio show and for 15 years, a SD Public Broadcasting, one hour, live, prime-time, call-in, medical, TV show. He is working on a second book. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at