Bob van Wie makes a mean grilled cheese sandwich. It's a good thing he knows his way around the kitchen. These days all the meals fall to him as his wife of 49 years, Joyce, has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and it's stealing her life.

"When you love a woman the way I love her and the devotion that we've had over the years,” says Bob.

So bob resolved to provide all Joyce’s care - until, with prodding by his daughter, he opened the door to hospice.

"It's made such a difference with my wife. Although it will never cure her with what she's suffering, but it's made the quality time of her and I in our home, to be together,” says Bob.

That's also part of the lesson being taught to third year medical students like Eleanor Hawkins. She's got a front row seat in a class on the palliative and supportive care services provided by hospice.

It's a unique perspective for med school students where the focus is usually on birth and life -- fixing and curing.

"I think it's important to remember that that's not necessarily a failure of a doctor and that's not a time when we can abandon our patients,” says Hawkins

Tammy Chewen is a hospice nurse - eager to take on med students like Eleanor to open the 'world of support' hospice provides during end of life care.

"I think it will make an incredible difference. I think, just seeing families in their own environment, homes, what they're going through at end of life I think will stick with them, “ says Chewen.

And while these are difficult times for Bob and Joyce, sharing their journey with hospice is empowering.

"And if she can learn something by me, that would make me very happy,” says Joyce.