The Last Ecstatic Days: Advancing Dialogue Through Film

In May 2025, Hospice Giving Foundation partnered with CSU Monterey Bay and the Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care to host a community screening of The Last Ecstatic Days — a powerful PBS documentary exploring one man’s final weeks of life and the compassionate care that surrounded him.

Nearly 200 community members gathered for the 75-minute screening and post-film panel discussion, signaling a growing readiness to engage in open conversations about death, dying, and meaningful care.

The Last Ecstatic Days follows Ethan “E3” Sisser during the final chapter of his life. Under the care of hospice workers, doulas, and physician Dr. Aditi Sethi, Ethan’s story offers an intimate look at community-supported end-of-life care.

The film invites viewers to consider what dignity, preparation, and presence can look like in life’s final days.

Our screening brought together supporters, parents, clinicians, oncologists, social workers, students, and caregivers — reflecting the shared importance of this conversation across generations and professions.

The evening concluded with a thoughtful panel discussion featuring local experts, reinforcing our commitment to education, collaboration, and compassionate care.

Hospice Giving Foundation is proud to serve as a sponsor of the film’s broadcast on PBS.

By supporting its wider distribution, we are helping bring this meaningful story into more homes, expanding awareness, reducing stigma, and encouraging thoughtful advance care planning. Because advancing end-of-life dialogue does not end with a single event. It is ongoing work.

You can watch The Last Ecstatic Days on PBS at: pbs.org/show/the-last-ecstatic-days