What Matters Most Campaign
Each year, National Healthcare Decisions Day brings communities together around two essential questions: What matters most to you, and who will speak for you if you cannot?
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The Supportive Care Collaborative marks the day with a public press conference, community gathering, and events throughout the month that help people start conversations, choose a trusted decision maker, and make their wishes known.
129
WORKSHOPS
20+
PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
1,942
COMMUNITY MEMBERS REACHED
3
SUPPORTED LANGUAGES
Press Conference
Watch the Video
Watch highlights from the 2026 National Healthcare Decisions Day gathering on the steps of San Francisco City Hall, where more than 100 community members, partners, and local leaders came together to talk about advance care planning, choosing a trusted decision maker, and making your wishes known.
About the Campaign
The What Matters Most Campaign is our annual effort to help people take a first step in planning for future healthcare decisions before a crisis happens. Anchored by National Healthcare Decisions Day on April 16, the campaign brings together community organizations, clinicians, public leaders, and residents around one shared goal: helping more people begin the planning process in ways that are trusted, relevant, and easy to start.
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Why This Matters
Too often, people wait until a health crisis to think about who should speak for them or what kind of care they would want. By then, families may be under stress and making difficult decisions without enough guidance.
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Advance care planning helps people prepare before a crisis. It gives people a way to name someone they trust, share what matters most, and help their loved ones advocate for care that reflects their wishes and values.
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National Healthcare Decisions Day makes the first step more practical, personal, and accessible. For many people, the hardest part is getting started. The What Matters Most Campaign helps people begin.
Growing a Community Movement
The What Matters Most Campaign has grown year by year, rooted in community partnerships and trusted local organizations.
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In our first year, we partnered with Self Help for the Elderly at Lady Shaw Senior Center in Chinatown to bring conversations about serious illness planning to Chinese older adults in the heart of their community. In year two, we partnered with Bayview Senior Services at the George Davis Senior Center to reach African American older adults in the Bayview. In year three, we gathered at On Lok 30th Street Senior Center in the Mission, where the campaign received coverage from ABC7 News and Chinese language media.
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In 2026, we brought the campaign to the steps of San Francisco City Hall for the first time. This milestone reflected four years of growing momentum and a shared belief: planning for what matters most is both a personal act and a community one.
This Work in Action
"Having these conversations is about making full, informed decisions while we are healthy and able. It is about choosing someone we trust to advocate for us, to be our voice when we cannot speak for ourselves. Today, I feel very responsible and committed to bring this message to my community, to help shift the mindset in a positive way and to encourage people to start a conversation, because planning is not just about healthcare. It is about dignity, respect, and making sure that your wishes are honored."
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Claudia Perez-Vaughan, Activities Coordinator and ACP Internal Champion, MNC Inspiring Success, speaking at our 2026 National Healthcare Decisions Day Press Conference
