Hospice of the Red River Valley invites the community to attend a free screening of the documentary “Being Mortal” on April 27, 2017, from 4-6 p.m. at Calvary Lutheran Church located at 1405 S. 9th St. in Grand Forks. This event is free, but pre-registration is required by because seating is limited. Register at http://bit.ly/beingmortalGF or call (701) 356-1525 to reserve your seat.

After the screening, you can participate in a guided conversation on how to take concrete steps to identify and communicate wishes about end-of-life goals and preferences. The discussion features Dr. Tricia Langlois, medical director with Hospice of the Red River Valley. See this moving documentary, join the conversation and explore what matters to you.

The Emmy-nominated documentary, “Being Mortal,” delves into the hopes of patients and families facing terminal illness. The film investigates the practice of caring for the dying and explores the relationships between patients and their doctors.

It follows a surgeon, Dr. Atul Gawande, as he shares stories from the people and families he encounters. When Dr. Gawande’s own father gets cancer, his search for answers about how best to care for the dying becomes a personal quest. The film sheds light on how a medical system focused on a cure often leaves out the sensitive conversations that need to happen so a patient’s true wishes can be known and honored at the end.

“Being Mortal” underscores the importance of people planning ahead and talking with family members about end-of-life decisions.

Seventy percent of Americans say they would prefer to die at home, but nearly 70 percent die in hospitals and institutions. Ninety percent of Americans know they should have conversations about end-of-life care, yet only 30 percent have done so.

In February 2015, “Being Mortal” aired nationally on the PBS program “Frontline.” For more information about the film, visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/being-mortal/. The film is adapted from Dr. Gawande’s 2014 nationally best-selling book of the same name. More information about the book is at http://atulgawande.com/book/being-mortal/.

The free screening is made possible by a grant from The John and Wauna Harman Foundation in partnership with the Hospice Foundation of America.

The Naytahwaush Nightriders Snowmobile Club recently announced that this year’s Hospice Ride, held in February, raised $10,440 for Hospice of the Red River Valley. Thirty-two riders participated in the event, which took them from Naytahwaush to Park Rapids, Minn.

The Nightriders presented a check to Curt Seter, development officer for Hospice of the Red River Valley, at their annual Snodeo, which was held March 4-5. The group has raised $93,055 through 13 years of Hospice rides.

“Everyone at Hospice of the Red River Valley is beyond grateful to the community of Naytahwaush, the Naytahwaush Nightriders and the surrounding area for their generous and consistent financial support,” said Seter. “The funds raised by the annual Hospice Ride go a long way towards ensuring that Hospice of the Red River Valley will have the resources necessary to provide compassionate end-of-life care to our patients and their families in the Naytahwaush area.”

For more information about future events or membership in the Naytahwaush Nightriders Snowmobile Club, please visit www.naytahwaushnightriders.com.

About the Naytahwaush Nightriders
For more than 40 years, the Naytahwaush Nightriders Snowmobile Club has been working to promote and advance the sport of snowmobiling. The Naytahwaush Nightriders Snowmobile Club works with snowmobilers, resorts, businesses, government units and local land owners to develop, build and maintain a network of snowmobile trails for recreational use. The Naytahwaush Nightriders are proud to be affiliated with MnUSA (Minnesota United Snowmobiling Association).