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The February issues of DWD's newsletter Voice for Choice is now available. Read about the flaws in Rodriguez, a death without dignity and great plans in store for 2012.
click here to read the newsletter.
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February 21, 2012In the latest issue of Advisor's Edge, Melissa Shin has written an in-depth article about issues all financial advisors should address with their clients. The article includes information and quotes from DWD.
Click here to read the full story on line.
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February 20, 2012It haunts me to this day: the call of my Dad's desperate voice, " I'm still here?"
We had no idea why, with blood cancer, after weeks of refusing blood or plasma products, not a blood cell to his name, and life still hung on to his frail body. And, now he was resenting the wait. It had been almost 2 months since this last palliative admission to hospital.
Posted In: Stories
February 20, 2012The American Medical Association acknowledges that the recent decision in Georgia (see earlier article here) is a game changer.
Like Dying With Dignity Canada, Final Exit Network provides information and emotional support to those at end of life who are facing the prospect of unbearable suffering, this support includes being present at the bedside for those who choose to hasten their dying.
The ruling means that assisted suicide now is legal in Georgia without regulations to police the activity, said Penny Penn, district attorney for Forsyth County, Ga., where Final Exit members were prosecuted. She is concerned that Final Exit now has more freedom to provide its services and that more patients who cannot adequately consent to suicide are at risk.
February 7, 2012In 2011, the Attorney General for the State of Georgia announced that assisted suicide was legal in that state.
There remained, however, a restriction that no one could legally advertise such assistance.
January 10, 2012By Wanda Morris, Executive Director
When I talk with members and supporters, I find they are often surprised to hear we have only 2.5 staff members. I think in many ways we are like the little engine that could - we think we can and so we do - numbers notwithstanding. And of course the other reality is that we have a strong (and growing!) corps of volunteers
If you'd like to see the roles of our 2.5 staff, and that of our many, many volunteers click here for our current organizational chart.
January 4, 2012The UK Commission on Assisted Dying has issued its report. Their conclusion: the current legal status of assisted dying is inadequate and incoherent.
The report is very timely as we currently wait for a decision on Gloria Taylor's challenge for the right to die. However, the recommendations in the report do not go as far as the rights sought by Gloria Taylor and the BC Civil Liberties Association.
In particular, the UK Commission recommends that assistance to die only be provided to those who are terminally (defined in part as having less than a year to live) and that assistance be restricted to the prescription of lethal medication which the patient must take themselves.
In contrast the current BC Court challenge seeks the right to assisted dying for individuals who are grievously and irremediably ill and the right to have that assistance provided by a physician where the patient is incapable of taking medication on their own.
Click here to download the report.
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January 4, 2012By Wanda Morris, Executive Director.
The National Post recently profiled Forum Research's poll indicating continued strong support for expanding end of life choices to include medically-assisted dying.
But they didn't use those words. Instead the headline, the article and the poll itself all referred to physicians helping patients commit suicide.
January 3, 2012A December 13th poll by Forum Research shows that over 2/3s of Canadians continue to support legalizing medically-assisted dying.
Click here to read the full National Post story.
January 2, 2012According to Lord Falconer, assisted suicide law fails to protect or punish. In a report to be released Thursday, an independent commission pushes for changes to existing laws in England and Wales.
Read the full Telegraph article here.
January 1, 2012According to the London Newspaper, the Observer, a soon to be released report in the UK will strongly recommend legalizing assisted suicide in tightly controlled circumstances.
In making the case for legalizing assisted dying, the article quotes Baroness Warnock (pictured) who says:
For one thing, it [the law] classes together the actions of some one who broadcasts encouragement to suicide to the world at large with one who agonisingly decides that, out of compassion, when asked to do so, he must help a person he loves to escape from suffering.
December 28, 2011I was very moved by this blog from ExitEuthanasia so am posting it here for DWD supporters to see too. Like Dying With Dignity Canada, Exit Euthanasia provides information so that individuals at end of life can choose a peaceful death.
In a few hours time, at least in the Northern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice will be upon us. It is the time of the longest night and the shortest day. From now on until midsummer, the days get longer and the sun shines warmer (warmer might be hard to believe in Scotland, but the days do get longer!)
December 28, 2011The all party parliamentary committee on palliative and compassionate care issued its report in November. While the report is silent on the issues of right-to-die it does make a compelling case for more palliative care resources and the need for a national palliative care strategy.
Read the whole report in the recommended reading section of our resource library.
- December 27, 2011
In 1992 the Vancouver Sun published an article about Patricia Garnder, a 38 year old woman dying of cancer. Patricia was dying, slowly and painfully, from cancer. "The cancer is eatin g me up, but not quickly enough" she said.
"Why are Terminally ill animals killed, but human beings left to suffer?" asked Patricia in a question that is echoed by a majority of Canadians today.
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December 17, 2011After a day off on Thursday December 15th to allow the plaintiff’s counsel to complete their reply to both the Federal & Provincial Crown’s argument; Friday, Dec 16 was the final day of the Gloria Taylor trial. DWD's Executive Director, Wanda Morris summarizes the testimony given during the final day in court.
No one wants to die
In talking about the wish of grievously and irredeemably ill people to end their suffering, Joe Arvay, the lead counsel for the plaintiffs noted, nobody says:
- I have a perfectly good leg - cut it off.
- I have a perfectly good body - kill it.
He said that everyone, especially Gloria Taylor, wants to live; no one wants to die. It is only when suffering is so great that death is a better alternative that a patient will choose to die.
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December 17, 2011Farewell Foundation for the Right to Die was at the trail and reports on the arguments of the defendants, the Attorney General for Canada and the Attorney General for BC.Ms. Nugard, the lead counsel for the Attorney General for Canada led the case for the defendants. She stated euthanasia is an incredibly difficult policy issue.
She argued that the plaintiffs were seeking a policy change for people suffering grievous and irremediable illness. Such a policy, she said, was the responsibility of parliament and not the courts.
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December 17, 2011Farewell Foundation for the Right to Die reports from the BC Supreme Court on the subbmission of the three interveners in support of the plaintiffs. The counsel for the interveners gave oral and written submissions to the Court.
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December 12, 2011This Report covers the Carter Trial December 2 – 6, 2011
On Friday December 2nd the plaintiff’s counsel Joe Arvay commenced his s.15 Charter of Rights argument that the criminal prohibition against aiding suicide discriminates against people with disabilities.
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December 12, 2011This Report from Farewell Foundation for the Right to Die covers the Carter Trial December 1, 2011
Day 11: Thursday, December 01, 2011
Counsel for the plaintiffs, Joe Arvay, began the first day of what will be several days of argument. He told the court that the case involves the rights of unfortunate Canadians who have irremediable medical conditions that cause intolerable suffering, such as “ALS, Huntington’s, ravaging cancer … but also those with rarer conditions, like the bluntly but aptly named “Locked-In Syndrome” – a condition capable of transforming the body into the breathing equivalent of a medieval dungeon.” He said that there are those who “believe there are states of being that are literally worse than death, and who wish to embrace the latter in the time, manner and circumstances of their own choosing.”
- December 12, 2011
It’s Not Like the Rest of Us, But It Should Be
by Ken Murray
Ken Murray, MD, is Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at USC (University of Southern California.
Thanks to DWD member and volunteer Margo Holland who forwarded this very moving and interesting article she received from a friend.
It’s not a frequent topic of discussion, but doctors die, too. And they don’t die like the rest of us. What’s unusual about them is not how much treatment they get compared to most Americans, but how little. For all the time they spend fending off the deaths of others, they tend to be fairly serene when faced with death themselves. They know exactly what is going to happen, they know the choices, and they generally have access to any sort of medical care they could want. But they go gently.
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December 11, 2011DWD responds to Alex Schadenberg of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition with charge over misleading statistics. Click here for rebuttal from DWD Director John Warren.
- December 7, 2011
In this moving testimonial, Valerie K talks about how her husband Bill chose to die at home and was able to do so with the support of DWD.
On May 31, 2007 my husband was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. ALS is brutally simple. From the moment of diagnosis, patient and family must prepare for death.
My husband and I approached this situation from two basic perspectives: We will all die. We all have choices to make. He was familiar with ALS, having watched its relentless march to the inevitable over a period of six years in the son of a friend. He did not fear death, often referring to the words of the dying King David to his son, Solomon: “I go the way of all the earth.” (I Kings 22).
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December 7, 2011A BC family helped first one and later another parent to die. Critical testimony is filed as part of BCCLA case. Click here to read the globe and mail article.
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