Compassion & Choices - Minnesota

02/03/2026

✨ Honoring Black History Month ✨

This month, we celebrate the strength and leadership of Black communities and recognize the ongoing work to ensure equitable, compassionate end-of-life care.

Our African American Leadership Council plays a vital role in this mission by bringing together advocates, faith leaders, and community voices to address disparities, provide trusted education, and empower families to make informed end-of-life decisions.

We’re grateful for their leadership and commitment to expanding awareness and access within African American communities.

Learn more about their impact:

Like systemic health inequities, inadequate end-of-life options in the African American community have dramatically impacted our social and economic viability. The African American Leadership Council is taking an active leadership role in changing this by partnering with national organizations, note...

01/29/2026

The latest from the Campaign Manager's Desk!

01/22/2026

Kindly stay tuned. Weekly updates will be shared every Thursday!

01/20/2026

Life’s final chapter can be one of the most meaningful, if we have the courage to talk about it. In this thoughtful conversation, Dr. Trina Nahm-Mijo shares insights drawn from a lifetime of experience about how facing mortality can deepen connection, compassion, and purpose.

Dr. Trina Nahm-Mijo reflects on more than seven decades of life on Hawai‘i Island and the experiences that shaped her perspective on dying and end-of-life de...

01/13/2026

Meet Tom — A Minnesota Voice for Compassion & Choices.

Tom Albin is a lifelong Minnesotan living with ALS. He loves nature walks, ice cream with his daughter, and traveling with his family but he knows ALS will eventually take his speech, mobility, and independence.

That’s why Tom is speaking out for the Minnesota End-of-Life Options Act.

Tom’s story reminds us why having choice at the end of life matters for all Minnesotans.

➡️ Read & share his story:
https://compassionandchoices.org/stories/tom-albin/

Tom shared his story in January of 2024. It’s ironic. In college I worked in an artificial language laboratory developing software to help people speak through the computer when they couldn’t speak on their own. Forty years later, I’m pretty close to needing to use that (much improved) technol...

12/16/2025

This video features Dr. Mitsuo Tomita, a retired family practice physician, as he discusses what’s often missing in how doctors talk about end-of-life choices and planning. He brings compassion and clarity to a topic many find difficult, highlighting why having open, informed conversations about care preferences matters for patients and families.

👉 Watch and share — it’s an important reminder that planning ahead can make all the difference.

As a retired family practice physician, Mits Tomita knows firsthand that doctors are often reluctant to discuss end-of-life choices. But planning ahead for e...

12/11/2025

Ashley Johnson, a member of the Compassion & Choices African American Leadership Council, shares how her grandmother’s end-of-life wishes inspired her to become an end-of-life doula. Her story shows the power of talking openly about care and choices before it’s too late.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/cajHd0Qx9cQ?si=dwGlNI_1Pm2cX6Kf

Get your End-of-Life Decisions Guide & Toolkit :https://candc.org/eoldgt

Ashley Johnson is president of the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance and a member of the Compassion & Choices African American Leadership Council. Ashley r...

12/05/2025

The Metro State Model Legislature provides hands-on civics education to high school and community college students. Yesterday, December 4th, they passed HF 2998/SF 3215, the Minnesota End-of-Life Option Act, out of their mock legislature. Metro State’s program also leverages the university’s long-standing connections with state legislators. This is huge for eyes on our issue and getting younger folks involved! Metro State University

Bill HF2998, SF3215 Session 2025 Bill Introduced By Wesley Hendel Two Rivers High School House House Author Wesley Hendel A bill for an act relating to End-of-life option for terminally ill adults with a prognosis of six months or less established, criminal penalties provided, certain data classifie...

12/04/2025

Looking Forward: As the year ends, make 2026 the year of planning ahead for your health and future.

Learn more about planning for your future care →

The Dementia Values and Priorities Tool is designed to help you communicate your wishes regarding future care if you are living with dementia. After answering a series of questions related to the changes commonly seen in the progression of dementia, the tool will provide you with a document that can...

12/02/2025

We recently came across a thoughtful piece on end-of-life care from BlackDoctor.org, “A Geriatrician Explains: Supporting Loved Ones Through End-of-Life Care,” and wanted to highlight it within our Minnesota community. Please check it out here:

For millions of families, the final stage of a loved one’s illness is one of the most heartbreaking and confusing periods they will ever navigate. As decline becomes unavoidable, relatives often feel compelled to “do everything,” even when aggressive medical interventions in the last weeks of ...