Dr. John Mulder Speaks on Dignity and Death

Dr. John Mulder recently gave an impassioned presentation at Calvin Seminary’s weekly Town Hall on  the innovative ways the Trillium Institute , a palliative care program in Grand Rapids, Mich., is caring for those with serious illnesses.

Mulder reflected on the early death of his father and the overwhelmingly negative experience he had with the medical system leading up to his passing.

As a result of his experience, Mulder has a passion for seeing patients live life to the fullest before passing, rather than having their last days on earth marked by pain and suffering.

With this in mind, the mission of the Trillium Institute is to “advance the art and science of navigating how to live well, die well, and grieve well.”

Mulder, also the director of Hospice Care in Grand Rapids, reflected on his desire to see hospice as a commonly sought-out medical service, rather than a sign of surrender. 

“The idea that hospice and death go hand-in-hand is in fact far from the truth,” he reflected.

Mulder’s work at Hospice Care is to employ support for those who are suffering the weight of a debilitating, life-defining illness.

This does not mean waving the white flag; rather, it is an opportunity to have the individual’s exact needs met, which may involve house-nurses, social workers, the presence of a pastor or minister, or even setting up a housekeeper to come in once a week to ease the weight of household responsibilities.

Mulder reflected on the power that this all-encompassing approach can and does have on patients, freeing them from spending all of their time in a waiting room, travelling back and forth to appointments, or keeping up with housework, and allowing them to enjoy the pleasures of life once more.

Mulder spoke candidly about the pitfalls of the medical system when it comes to end of life care. Most commonly, intensive treatment will continue right until death, which  Mulder sees as a painful loss.

Instead, he seeks to give those patients the greatest last few weeks, months, or years of their lives - giving them dignity, and helping them enjoy what life they have left – rather than spending it in a hospital bed.

This Town Hall presentation took place during the fall Calvin Seminary Board of Trustees meeting. Students enjoyed a time of fellowship with Calvin Seminary trustees as they learned from Mulder about an issue that is very real and present in the lives of congregations.