Minnesota family featured in new Amazon docuseries covering end-of-life

BLAINE, Minn. — A Blaine woman and her family will be featured in Amazon Prime's new six-episode docuseries, "Take Me Out Feet First." The docuseries follows individuals advocating for end-of-life options.

The series was created by New York City native, Serene Meshel-Dillman, who was inspired to make this docuseries after she witnessed both of her parents end their lives in the comfort of their home.

Each episode will follow a different individual or family who has, advocated for, or is actively exploring end-of-life options. The docuseries is available to stream now on Amazon Prime.

In 2018, Danna Nelson was diagnosed with stage 3 rhabdomyosarcoma — a rare and aggressive type of cancer that forms in soft tissue — when she was 22 years old. Nelson succumbed to her illness and passed away in 2022.

In memory of Danna, her parents, Candy and Dan Nelson, have become advocates for the expansion of end-of-life options. In the latest legislative session, the Nelson's spoke to Congress as advocates for a medical aid-in-dying bill.

The Medical Aid in Dying Bill — also known as bill HF 1930 — aims to allow a terminally ill person with six months or less to live the option to end their life medically through medication.

According to local advocacy group, Compassion & Choices, the bill was modeled after laws Oregon's Death with Dignity Act, which has been in practice for 25 years and has yet to report an instance of abuse or coercion.

To qualify for the Death with Dignity Act, a person requesting end-of-life options must be over 18 years old, terminally ill with a prognosis of six months or less to live and mentally capable of making an informed healthcare decision.

Key provisions in Minnesota's Medical Aid in Dying bill included:

• The end-of-life medication must be self-administered by the patient
• Patients can access medical aid in dying from healthcare providers licensed in Minnesota to provide similar medical care
  
• The attending healthcare provider must inform terminally ill adults requesting medical aid in dying about other end-of-life care options including comfort care, hospice care and pain control
• A qualifying patient must receive clearance from two healthcare providers confirming their six-month or less prognosis and cognitive ability to make an informed medical decision
  
• A terminally ill person can withdraw their request for medication, not take the medication once they have it, or otherwise change their mind at any point

There is also language in the bill that discusses insurance coverage and protections against denial of coverage, criminal culpability for individuals abusing the end-of-life medication and legal protections for healthcare providers.

The bill passed through four House committees but failed to move through the Senate before the end of the 2023-2024 session . On their website, Compassion & Choices says the bill didn't advance due to opposition from two DFL Senators, ultimately putting a majority vote out of reach.

NOTE: The video attached to this article originally aired on June 2, 2024.