WHAT: “Advance Directives,” a short film about two young adults and their differing approaches to end-of-life decisions, premieres in San Antonio just ahead of National Healthcare Decisions Day.
The film takes an unflinching look at the consequences of each approach, asking moviegoers to confront a crucial topic that many Americans are reluctant to consider. “Advance Directives” was produced by a bioethicist at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Admission to the premiere is free.
WHEN: Tuesday, April 13. Doors open at 6 p.m.; show time at 6:15 p.m. (Friday, April 16, is National Heathcare Decisions Day 2010.)
WHERE: Santikos Northwest 14 Theatres, 7600 Interstate 10 West, San Antonio.
WHO: The film was produced by bioethicist Craig M. Klugman, Ph.D., assistant director of ethics education at the Center for Medical Humanities & Ethics at the UT Health Science Center. Last year, Dr. Klugman launched a Web site – www.TexasLivingWill.org – that walks Texans through the process of completing their own advance directives.
Actors Lucas Davis and Leslie LaRue play the starring roles. Several supporting roles were held by Health Science Center faculty and staff. The film was written and directed by Bo Wich, a media operations manager at the Health Science Center.
NOTES: Less than a quarter of U.S. adults have spelled out end-of-life wishes in an advance directive or legally appointed someone to make health care decisions if they are unable to do it themselves. Learn more about the forms that Texans can use in their health care planning at www.TexasLivingWill.org.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, one of the country’s leading health sciences universities, ranks in the top 2 percent of all U.S. institutions receiving federal funding. Research and other sponsored program activity totaled a record $259 million in fiscal year 2009. The university’s schools of medicine, nursing, dentistry, health professions and graduate biomedical sciences have produced 27,000 graduates. The $753 million operating budget supports six campuses in San Antonio, Laredo, Harlingen and Edinburg. For more information on the many ways “We make lives better®,” visit www.uthscsa.edu.