Peg Bachelder is Gawande’s daughter’s piano teacher who has a rare soft-tissue cancer. After running out of cancer treatment options, Gawande convinces Peg to try hospice care. With hospice, Peg is able to live an additional six weeks, have concerts with her students, and say goodbye to the people she loves, indicating the value of this kind of care over traditional treatment options.
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Peg Bachelder Character Timeline in Being Mortal
The timeline below shows where the character Peg Bachelder appears in Being Mortal. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 8
One day, Gawande gets a call from the husband of Peg Bachelder, his daughter’s piano teacher. Peg has been undergoing cancer treatments for a rare soft-tissue...
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A few days later, Peg calls and wants to resume teaching Gawande’s daughter. Hospice allowed her to manage her daily...
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Epilogue
...Gawande’s most meaningful experiences came from helping others understand what medicine cannot do—like Jewel Douglass, Peg, or his father.
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