September 4, 2000
Moyers PBS series examines end-of-life questions
___By Marv Knox
___Editor
___A public television series next week will prompt Texans to examine death and dying, both in their homes and in groups across the state.
___"On Our Own Terms: Moyers on Dying," will air on Public Broadcasting Service stations for four consecutive evenings, Sept. 10-13. Most Texas PBS stations will present the programs at 8 p.m.; check local listings for broadcast times.
___The series takes a look at the end-of-life journeys of more than a dozen people and theirfamilies and friends. It details how they seek to balance medical treatment with dignity and comfort as the end of earthly life approaches.
___"On Our Own Terms" was produced by a team of journalists, led by Bill Moyers, a PBS documentary stalwart and former network news commentator.
___The series seeks to help Americans wrestle with issues that face them and their loved ones when death is imminent, Moyers said.
___"There is a growing realization that something has gone wrong and that the time has come to fix it," he noted. "The stories of these generous people, who let us into their lives at an extraordinarily vulnerable time, help us to understand dying not as a failure of medicine, but as a part of life."
___PBS stations nationwide have worked with religious leaders and medical professionals to develop local outreach programs related to the series. These involve town-hall meetings, seminars, discussion groups and other initiatives to help communities help their citizens cope with death and dying.
___Contacts for local initiatives in Texas are:
___Austin: Chuck Meyer, St. David's Medical Center, (512) 397-4212, e-mail Richard.Meyer@Columbia.net. Also Karen Quebe, KLRU-TV, (512) 475-9050, Karen_quebe@klru.pbs.org.
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___Discussion guides are available at www.pbs.org/onourownterms or www.thirteen.org/onourownterms.
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