Episode 19:1 Serene Meshel-Dillman on her docu-series Take Me Out Feet First

Serene Meshel-Dillman talks about the global success of her film documenting first-hand accounts of the terminally ill who have used medical aid in dying (MAID). Airing on Amazon Prime, Take Me Out Feet First has been in the top five TV documentaries for the past three months, with more than 24 million minutes of viewing.

About Serene

A New York native and dancer with a passion for the visual arts, Serene attended The School of American Ballet, Tenafly High School then The University of Vermont.

Post graduation, she opted out of law school and worked at an advertising agency in New York, founded a company that imported baskets from Haiti, then moved to Los Angeles to work in production on television commercials. Commercial production stuck and she worked her way up until she became a producer.

In 2014 Serene conceived and directed the documentary film, “Getting to The Nutcracker”, a behind the scenes look at what it takes to produce the classic ballet from auditions to final performance. The movie garnered 7 major festival awards, including a Grand Jury Prize, Audience Award, Best Direction, and Best Feature Documentary.

Her second documentary, “The 5th Dementia” is about a Los Angeles-based band whose members live with Alzheimer’s, dementia and Parkinson’s. They are able to sing and play music despite their neurodegenerative diseases.

"Take Me Out Feet First" is her first documentary series. The first 6 episodes of season 1 are currently airing on Amazon Prime. Look for season 2 later this year.

Key Takeaways

• Medical aid in dying (MAID) is the practice where a physician provides a terminally ill patient with the means to voluntarily and intentionally end their own life. This usually involves prescribing a lethal dose of medication that the patient can self-administer.
• "Medical aid in dying" is distinct from "assisted suicide." Medical aid in dying involves the self-administration of prescribed medication by terminally ill patients, and there are strict safeguards in place to prevent abuse. Oregon's Death with Dignity Act, enacted in 1997, has not reported a single instance of abuse since its initiation 27 years ago. The term "suicide" implies a desire to die, whereas medical aid in dying is a choice made by individuals facing an unavoidable terminal illness.

• Compassion & Choices is a nonprofit organization in every US state that advocates for end-of-life care options, including medical aid in dying. The organization works to expand and improve end-of life care and ensure that patients can make their own decisions about their treatment and how they wish to spend their final days.