|
Dillon Woods graduated from the University of Toronto, Canada in 1991 with a Masters degree. In 1985 he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Franciscan University in Ohio, where he was chosen by the University president to receive the "Who's Who in American Universities and Colleges" award.
Mr. Woods has combined his interest in community service and entertainment in a wide variety of ways. He has given hundreds of presentations across the United States and Canada in areas of self-improvement, nutrition/fitness, caregiving, improving communication skills and spirituality. He has composed and produced several original albums of music. His latest work is three hours of music compiled with three hours of nature photography and video. He is a published photographer, author and documentary filmmaker. He has spent many years working full time supporting caregivers, hospices and medical professionals across North America with his two books entitled, Where Souls Meet: Caring for the seriously ill and Questions... for Quiet Times. He was president and founder of the Living With Quality Foundation – an organization dedicated to educating the public on issues important to caregivers and those who are serioulsy ill. He is the producer and host of several video programs in which he interviewed seriously ill patients, and their loved ones, in a documentary style that was educational and inspirational.
Over the years his work and philanthropic community service has caused him to wear a wide range of hats. Besides the above mentioned accomplishments, his varied experiences range from teaching, to working with seniors, to building houses and roads in the poorest parts of Mexico - even working as a certified fitness trainer and massage therapist. He has worked as a fitness and nutrition consultant for many companies (Microsoft, Sportsclub LA) and individuals who sought to improve their relationship with exercise and / or nutrition. Whatever the cause, the commitment to service and excellence is a continuing thread in his professional and personal life.
|
Since 1994 LivingWithQuality.com has helped thousands of people experience a higher quality life. There have been many different types of resources that have been created and offered here over the years. I started with a tiny fitness book in 1994 called "Ten Ways To Lose Weight and Feel Great" (click here for samples of book). Then I developed a "spiritual fitness" motivational series for workouts called: "Personal Training for the Soul".
Then, my focus broadened to include support for caregivers when my parents contracted cancer and I saw first hand what it was like to be seriously ill in North American society. I watched them go through the "medical maze" - with all the tests and endless doctors appointments. It was through the experience with my parents that I learned about the need for education and "sensitivity training" among medical professionals and others who seemed to be entrenched in the "taboo of death" (which keeps people silent and distant from those dealing with serious illness). My parents died within a few months of each other. So, it was also during this time that I learned about hospice and all the great things hospice does for the community.
It took a couple years for me to recover from the depression that set into my life, after my parents died. During this time I wrote songs to help me process my grief, I did a lot of sleeping, thinking and re-evaluating. And then, after a couple years had passed, I wanted to 'give back' to hospice because they had done so much for my family during a really difficult time. So... I began to volunteer my teaching skills and I started doing seminars with hospices and hospitals regarding the emotional and soulful care of patients (and caregivers). Notes from these seminars turned into a book called Where Souls Meet: Caring for the seriously ill. Soon came other books, CD's, seminars and videos.
|
All the resources offered at this website are meant to educate, provoke thoughts & feelings, create conversation, entertain and/or inspire. I was so moved by my experience with hospice, I decided to devote my artistic energy to helping families deal with the death of a loved one. I hadn't given much thought to the fact that death (a taboo in North America) would be a challenging premise on which to build a business. I just knew that in North America over 76 million Baby Boomers were about to deal with the issue of aging parents. As I slowly started doing the work, sharing books / seminars / music... and meeting families who needed support, I was very moved by the letters of appreciation and emails I got from caregivers, volunteers and patients. If the role of an artist is to help people think about things they normally would not... I had become an artist.
Someone once wrote that the role of an artist in our world is to help create "the standards for perception and cognition for a society. Without heartfelt art, there are no great ideas and a lesser community." To that end, I set my aim to create heartfelt art that will help humans individually and the human community overall. Whether it is a book to help educate, music to help provoke emotion/thought or videos to inspire, create conversation and/or inform... all have been created with the hope that people will be helped in some way and that through this, our world may find better days. As the proverb says, "If there is health in the soul... there will be peace in the world."
|
|