DonateOur thanks to Sue Corfman for sharing her family’s experience and adding to the voices across Ohio who are advocating for medical aid in dying for the terminally ill.
Death with dignity
Akron Beacon Journal/Ohio.com
posted August 24, 2019
Here are some facts about dying with dignity laws. Only people with terminal illnesses (determined by two doctors) who are of sound mind qualify to use the law. Disability or age are not reasons to use it.
A person opting to use it must be informed of other end of life care such as hospice. All of these requirements have effectively prevented the concerns of abuses raised by opponents. In 40 collective years of experience with these laws, there have been no cases of abuse. Coercion is a felony.
Many who use the law are also enrolled in hospice; 75% of those using the law have terminal cancer, and this option gives them great peace.
My mother knew for several months that her death was imminent. The trauma of watching her agony as her disease slowly devoured her convinced me that when death is imminent, it is cruel and inhumane not to let a person choose a peaceful rather than a violent death.
This law is not designed to cause more deaths, but to allow dying people to do it with dignity and peace. All states should enact death with dignity laws.
Susan Corfman, Orrville
Leave a Reply