Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, MD

Dr. Elizabeth Kübler-Ross is often considered to be one of the founders of the death and dying movement. Born in Switzerland on July 8, 1926, she died on August 24, 2004, after suffering a series of strokes. 

One of triplets 

Dr. Kübler-Ross was one of triplets, one of whom was identical to Dr. Kübler-Ross. She grew up in Zurich, Switzerland, with her parents, her two sisters and one older brother. Although many biographies about Dr. Kübler-Ross claim that her treatment by her father was harsh, it was through her father's encouragement that she developed a great appreciation for nature and the outdoors. 

Childhood interrupted by war 

When Dr. Kübler-Ross was 13 years old, World War II began. She became a member of the International Voluntary Service for Peace. Her experiences with the organization, assisting victims of war in Sweden, along the Swiss-France border and Poland, sparked Dr. Kübler-Ross' interest in death and dying. 

Medical school 

Dr. Kübler-Ross went to medical school in Zurich and obtained her medical degree in 1957. It was while studying medicine that she met her husband to be, Emanuel Robert Ross, a doctor from the United States. 

Moved to the United States 

After marrying Dr. Ross in 1958, Dr. Kübler-Ross immigrated to the US to continue her studies in New York. She obtained her degree in psychiatry in 1963. The couple moved to Colorado in 1962, where Dr. Kübler-Ross continued training at the Psychopathic Hospital, University of Colorado Medical School, until 1963. She became an instructor in psychiatry at the Colorado General Hospital and taught until 1965. She then became assistant professor of psychiatry at Billings Hospital, at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL and remained there for five years, until 1970. 

Focus on psychological aspect of death 

Dr. Kübler-Ross had a keen interest in the connection between anxiety and terminal illness. As her theories and knowledge about death and dying grew, she began to offer seminars and speeches on the topic. However, this direction was not appreciated by the school administrators and she was actively discouraged from pursuing this interest. 

First book: Death and Dying 

Dr. Kübler-Ross wrote her first book, On Death and Dying, in 1969. The purpose of the book was to raise the awareness of how people react to death. She continued to write books, articles, and book chapters until her last book, On Grief and Giving, a collaboration with David Kessler in 2005. 

Controversial Ideas 

Dr. Kübler-Ross brought forth ideas about death and dying that were mostly ignored by the medical community and the community at large. Many resisted her efforts to spread her ideas, but many were welcoming as well. Her tireless work for the dying is what leads many to call Dr. Kübler-Ross one of the founders of the death and dying movement. 

References: 

Elizabeth Kübler-Ross 

Elizabeth Kübler-Ross Biography