I spent the last few months reporting on some extraordinary people on Oregon's North Coast -- a group of volunteers supporting their neighbors at the end of life.

In a rural area where the population is aging and access to medical care is limited, informal death care isn't just an act of kindness. It can mean the difference between unnecessary suffering and comfort in people's final days.

I'm grateful to everyone who shared their stories, and to The Lund Report for publishing this piece.