Women Walking Episode 14: The Power and Presence of Palliative Care with Dr. Farrah Daly, Palliative Care Neurologist

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In this episode, we walk alongside Dr. Farrah Daly, one of the first neurologists in the U.S. formally trained in palliative medicine and a leader in the growing field of neuropalliative care. Her work sits at the intersection of medicine, compassion, and transition, making her an ideal guide for a conversation about how we care for people living with serious neurologic illness, and how we care for the families walking beside them.

Dr. Daly shares what first drew her to neurology and the quieter pull that led her toward palliative care. Together, we explore what neuropalliative care really looks like in practice, from supporting people with conditions like ALS, PSP, and Parkinson’s, to the profound impact of home‑based care, where presence, dignity, and relationship take center stage.

We talk about the emotional labor of caregiving, anticipatory grief, and the often‑invisible weight women carry as they support loved ones nearing the end of life. Dr. Daly reflects on how palliative care has evolved beyond its old end‑of‑life frame, and why understanding the difference between palliative care and hospice can transform a family’s entire experience.

As Vice President and President‑Elect of the International Neuropalliative Care Society (INPCS), she also lifts up the systemic challenges, and quiet revolutions shaping the field today: the need for patient‑centered models, equal seats at the table for families, and better support for clinicians in low‑resource settings.

This is a conversation about walking with people through some of life’s most vulnerable transitions, and about the grace, clarity, and courage it takes to show up—again and again--with dignity at the center.