| Sam Klagsbrun |
 Born in Belgium, Sam Klagsbrun had early experiences of loss as he and his Jewish family fled across Europe during World War
Two, and were interned in Cuba before finally reaching the USA in 1941. Sam Klagsbrun grew up in Manhattan, New York, where
he was a graduate of both the Jewish Theological Seminary, and City College of New York, before going to medical school in
Chicago and undertaking a residency in psychiatry at Yale (1963-66). His interest in death, dying and bereavement began during
a second year rotation at a cancer unit in medical school where he noticed the distress of staff working with dying patients.
In 1963 he heard Cicely Saunders speak at Yale, and finally met her after a controversial speech he delivered to the Protestant
Hospital Chaplain's Association of North America in the early 1970s. Cicely felt that Sam Klagsbrun would be a challenging
figure to invite back to St Christopher's. Thus began Sam Klagsbrun's annual trips to Sydenham where he has taught and supported
staff, and functioned as a management consultant. The interview also addresses such topics as chaplaincy, the handover of
the medical directorship at St Christopher's from Cicely Saunders to Tom West, and the differing attitudes to suffering in
the Judaic and Christian traditions.
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| Interview conducted by Neil Small, 27 February 1996 |
| Interview Duration: 58 minutes |
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