One Step Closer Video in Production
Motivated by their personal experiences with loss, Mike Bernhagen, the community liaison at Jefferson’s Rainbow Hospice Care, and Terry Kaldhusdal, an Oconomowoc teacher and filmmaker, decided to join forces in early 2009 to begin a creative journey that will result in documentary entitled One Step Closer: A 360-Degree View on End-of-Life Care. This film is a thoughtful, evocative, and beautifully shot piece overflowing with insight and vision—offering a variety of viewpoints as told by patients, families, doctors, nurses, clergy, social workers, and national experts on death and dying.
Even though it tackles some tough topics, the film is done in an unusually tasteful, comforting way that motivates viewers to begin thinking about their personal preferences for their own end-of-life care. “Our goal is not to hand down answers,” says Bernhagen. “People need to ask themselves, when I’m faced with this kind of situation, what would I want for myself or my loved ones? Our hope is that after seeing this film, viewers will be one step closer to knowing what’s right for themselves and their loved ones, in addition to feeling at ease having conversations about end of life. If we can inspire dialogue between husband and wife, parent and child, doctor and patient, then we will have achieved a lot.”
“Terry and I also want to help people learn about the end-of-life care services available to terminally ill patients and their families through hospice,” adds Bernhagen. Too many people who could benefit from hospice are unaware of the support available to them. Hospice is more than traditional healthcare. Hospice provides palliative care, otherwise known as comfort care, that emphasizes quality of life at the end-of-life. Hospice focuses on physical, emotional and spiritual care that is meant to help people live every moment to the fullest, in comfort and with dignity, right up to the end.”
Although working on the film has proven to be a positive and productive way for Bernhagen and Kaldhusdal to process their own grief, the ultimate goal is to share it with the American people via PBS and film festivals, as well as to offer it as a teaching tool for healthcare organizations and healthcare professionals. For that to happen, however, they need additional financial resources to help with production and distribution.
Thankfully, the two have already received donations from Rainbow Hospice Care and several generous individuals from seven different states—but much more is needed to ensure the film’s message is heard. As a result, they are inviting others to join the effort by making tax-deductible donations to the Rainbow Hospice Foundation.
To learn more the documentary, its subject matter and how you can help, please visit www.onestepcloserfilm.org. While there, you can learn more about Mike and Terry’s personal calling to the project, view a trailer for the film, meet some of the very special people they’ve been privileged to interview, and make an on-line donation.
Although One Step Closer is not scheduled to be released until the fall of 2010, a sneak preview will be offered at the 6th Annual End-of-Life Conference to benefit Faith in Action on April 1, 2010 at the Olympia Resort and Conference Center in Oconomowoc. For details about the event, please contact Rainbow Hospice Care by calling (920) 674-6255 or visit www.rainbowhospicecare.org any time.
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