Opinion: Give terminally ill more options by passing a medical aid in dying law

OPINION This piece expresses the view of its author(s), separate from those of this publication.

Ann Schuur Opinion contributor
Published 10 p.m. ET April 20, 2022

My father took his life in November 2019. He was 83, of sound mind and terminally ill with Stage 4 cancer complicated by COPD. He’d been treated for melanoma a decade earlier and knew what that entailed. Fiercely independent, he considered what lay ahead as his condition progressed, weighed the pros and cons of the choices available to him and eventually decided to take matters into his own hands. In the note he left behind, my father wrote that he saw no point in seeing his cancer through to the end. So he shot himself. 

I’m at peace with my father’s decision. I am not at peace with his means of dying.

If he had lived in Washington, D.C., Oregon, Maine or one of the other seven states that permit medical aid in dying, a physician could have prescribed life-ending medication that would’ve allowed him to go peacefully and in comfort, at a time of his choosing, surrounded by those who loved him. Instead, he died violently and alone, and his family had to deal with the trauma of finding him, (which he orchestrated to be as easy on us as possible).

But Ohio is behind on this. Almost three years ago (and just a couple of months before my father died by suicide), The Enquirer published a story entitled, “Terminally ill mom’s challenge to daughter: Get Ohio to approve aid in dying law.” A bill that would have legalized medical aid in dying was introduced in 2018, but never made it beyond committee hearings, and our legislators have taken no action since then. It’s time for Ohioans in favor of such a measure to speak up.

I’m a retired hospice social worker. I’ve seen death up close, both personally and professionally, and I’m convinced there should be a full range of options available to those diagnosed with terminal illnesses that includes medical aid in dying as well as palliative care and hospice services. People who are facing the end of their lives should not be left powerless in what is for them an unbearable situation that strips away their dignity and autonomy.

The politics and the religious beliefs of some should not define the rights of all dying individuals. I believe everyone deserves the freedom to make these deeply personal decisions for themselves. I want this for me and for others. That’s why I support Ohio End of Life Options, a nonprofit organization that’s mission is to make this a reality. Join the movement and help us pass a medical aid in dying law in our state.  

Ann Schuur is a Finneytown resident and a retired social worker.

NOTE from Ohio End of Life Options: Tell Ohio lawmakers that our loved ones deserve access to Medical Aid in Dying. Sign our Petition of Support.