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A free public film screening aims to demystify end-of-life care

A St. Paul’s Hospital palliative care doctor hopes a free public film screening of an Oscar-nominated documentary on Monday April 8 will encourage people to have conversations about an unavoidable fact of life: death.

Dr. Lauren Daley wants the screening of End Game, a documentary produced by San Francisco physician Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider, to get people talking more about the end of life and the role of palliative care in those discussions.

“Our hope is to inspire the general public to think more actively about end-of-life, and to offer reassurance that these discussions don’t have to be dark or scary,” says Dr. Lauren Daley, Palliative Care Physician. “Talking openly about our own mortality may even lead to living more fulfilled lives. This is what the individuals on our team working in palliative care know to be true, and we want to spread the good word.”

End Game, nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Documentary Short category, weaves together three stories of visionary medical providers who practice on the cutting edge of life and death, helping to change the way we think about both.

“As the population ages, there is a strong need to educate the public about advance care planning and serious illness care so that every patient’s wishes are known and respected,” says Dr. Ungerleider. “Documentaries like End Game are a powerful way to both inform and inspire people to talk with their loved ones and health care team to ensure they get the care they want and deserve.”

This is the third year that Providence’s Palliative Team has presented a palliative care film screening, free to the public. Dr. Ungerleider will be the featured speaker after the film while Dr. Daley will moderate a question-and-answer session.

End Game is screening tonight at Vancity Theatre, 1181 Seymour Street and doors open at 6:30pm. Please reserve your free tickets online now at: http://govi­.org/endgame. End Game is also currently streaming on Netflix.

Dr. Daley and Dr. Ungerleider will also be guests on CBC Radio’s On the Coast program with Gloria Macarenko on Monday, April 8th.

Interested to learn more about the often misunderstood world of palliative care? Check out Dr. Daley’s blog Talk Dying to Me, as she demystifies end of life care.

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