The Question of Death with Dignity

A recent article in THE WEEK magazine states, “Assisted suicide is far more common than most people realize. An anonymous survey of 3,000 cancer doctors by The Lancet medical journal in 2000 found that one in seven admitted carrying out ‘euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide’ for patients in the final stages of terminal disease. The real percentage is undoubtedly higher; doctors know they can be charged with murder if they admit giving patients fatal doses of drugs to end their suffering. So assisted suicide remains in the shadows, and most Americans do not have the option taken by Brittany Maynard, the 29-year old Oregon woman who ended her life rather than face the final, horrifying stages of brain cancer.”
There are currently five states where a competent, terminally ill adult can request a prescription for a life-ending medication to be self-administered when, and if, the person’s suffering becomes unbearable. “Death with Dignity” laws as they are called, incorporate comprehensive safeguards to prevent abuse and misuse. There is currently a Death with Dignity bill being drafted for the Colorado state legislature. What do you think, or have you thought about it? Do we have a “right” to take our own lives if our quality of life diminishes due to a terminal illness, or is there value to be found in end -of-life suffering ? Roland Halpern, from Denver’s Compassion and Choices, believes that if suffering becomes unbearable, the decision should belong to the patient. Father Bill Carmody, from the Catholic Diocese of Colorado Springs, doesn’t agree and wonders “if Maynard wasn’t used by the Hemlock Society (aka Compassion and Choices) to drum up support for their mission.”
Each person will speak for 40 minutes with the remaining time open for questions and discussion. Please join PILLAR for this relevant and timely discussion.