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Long Covid sufferer applies for voluntary euthanasia

After suffering with long Covid for over two years, a Canadian woman believes she has been left with no choice but to apply for voluntary euthanasia. Tracey Thompson, a Toronto resident in her 50s, told <a href="https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-woman-enduring-effects-of-long-covid-begins-process-for-medically-assisted-death-1.5976944" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="article-inline">CTV News</a> she had begun the process of applying for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), due to extreme fatigue and a lack of financial support. Tracey used to work long hours as a chef, but has been unable to work for the last 26 months, with no foreseeable end to her forced unemployment. “(MAiD) is exclusively a financial consideration,” she said. “My choices are basically to die slowly and painfully, or quickly. Those are the options that are left.” As well as a lack of financial support, Tracey has experienced long Covid symptoms such as severe fatigue, blurred vision, difficulty digesting food, difficulty breathing, an altered sense of taste and smell, and scars on her heart from swelling due to myocarditis. While health experts say long Covid is difficult to diagnosis, it is estimated that five percent of those who contract the virus will go on to have long term symptoms. Tracey also told CTV that she now struggles to get up and look after herself, which is very different to her previous fast paced life in a physically demanding job. “From being able-bodied and employed to basically bed-bound,” she said. “I can’t get up on average for 20-plus hours. I have very little capacity to expend the energy physically, mentally and emotionally, so I try to stay home all the time.” But Thompson stressed she still enjoys life and doesn’t want to die, but doesn’t think she could survive without an income. “I still enjoy life. Birds chirping, small things that make up a day are still pleasant to me, they’re still enjoyable. I still enjoy my friends. There’s a lot to enjoy in life, even if it’s small,” she said. “But I don’t relish the idea of suffering for months to come to the same conclusion." “When support is not coming, things aren’t going to change. It seems irrational to put myself through that just to die in the end.” While Tracey is unsure if she would be eligible for the Ontario Disability Support Program, she believes the maximum monthly payment would only just cover her rent, leading her to apply for the drastic action of voluntary euthanasia. In Canada, you do not need to have a terminal illness to be eligible for MAiD, but rather have an illness that “cannot be relieved under conditions that you consider acceptable”. Thompson said she was confident she would get approval. “As best I know, I would meet the criteria,” she said. "I'm very ill. There is no treatment. There is no cure." Image credits: CTV

Caring

225kg "Hank the Tank" bear ransacks wealthy neighbourhood

Residents of a wealthy California neighbourhood have been terrorised by a 225kg black bear, nicknamed Hank the Tank by authorities. According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) , the one bear has been linked to "property damage at 38 different properties" in the affluent Tahoe Keys neighbourhood. The trouble-making bear has been the source of more than 150 calls between law enforcement and wildlife personnel in recent months. Peter Tira, a spokesperson for the CDFW said Hank has been spotted more and more as he has developed a taste for pizza, and has yet to be deterred by efforts from local police to scare it off with paintballs and sirens. “It’s easier to find leftover pizza than to go in the forest,” Tira said “This is a bear that has lost all fear of people,” he added. “It’s a potentially dangerous situation.” Due to the heightened number of sightings and complaints about Hank, the CDFW has been setting up traps to catch the beast, but to no avail. “The trapping activity is a measure of last resort to capture and euthanise a specific and what we call a severely habituated or human-food conditioned black bear,” Tira said. Despite the potential danger, the bear hunt has sparked an outcry from local residents, who tried to sabotage them by trying to scare away the bear, playing loud music, and even spray-painting “Bear Killer” on the government’s trap. A bear activist group called the BEAR League has been coordinating with the CDFW for Hank the Tank to be relocated to a wildlife sanctuary instead of euthanised. “The BEAR League reached out to the director of an excellent out-of-state wildlife sanctuary who agreed he has room and would be very willing to give this bear a permanent home,” said executive director Ann Bryant. “We notified [the California Department of Fish and Wildlife] on Tuesday morning asking that this option be seriously considered rather than killing the bear.” While talks to relocate Hank are still ongoing, the CDFW has urged residents to practice preventive measures to keep bears out, such as securing garbage properly and keeping trash out of cars. According to the New York Post, when people relocated to Tahoe Keys to work from home due to the pandemic, these new residents did not adhere to preventive measures, prompting Hank the Tank to come out of the woods and forage for food. Image credits: Facebook - BEAR League

Family & Pets

“Odiously absurd”: Animal shelter euthanises dogs over COVID-19 fears

An animal shelter in north-west New South Wales has come under fire for euthanising several rescue dogs. Authorities at the Bourke Shire Council put down the animals to further enforce COVID-19 travel restrictions in the area . A shelter in Cobar, in there state's central west, was supposed to come and collect the animals, but the Bourke Shire Council didn't want breaching state-wide travel restrictions. Residents in regional New South Wales are currently subject to lockdown measures, containing them to their local government area unless leaving for essential reasons. The town of Cobar has a population of under 4,000 and has remained largely untouched by COVID-19, with fragments detected in wastewater samples but no cases reported. The Office of Local Government has launched an investigation to the killings, after receiving nation-wide backlash. Animal Justice Party MP Emma Hurst said she was told 16 dogs were killed, including a “mother dog and her puppies”. The MP took to Facebook to express her anger and sadness at the cruel act. “While there are reports the dogs were shot, our contacts have told us they were euthanised,” she wrote. “I’m sharing this to make it clear there is NO health order for pounds to kill all the animals - please share this so it doesn’t happen again.” News of the mass-killings have reached an international audience online, with many condemning the barbarity of the council's decision. British comedian and animal right activist Ricky Gervais described the council as “stupid c****” while English football legend Gary Lineker said it was “odiously absurd”. Image credit: FILE PHOTO - Shutterstock

Family & Pets

"Crushed with guilt": Decision to put down "pandemic puppy" causes heated debate

A journalist has sparked debates online over her decision to euthanise her dog she adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Madeline Bills published a piece on Slate sharing the story of her adoption of Bennie, “a six-year old beagle whose photo melted my heart”, just before Christmas. “Like many others last year, I was thrilled to adopt a dog,” she wrote. “The so called pandemic puppy boom made for what felt like stiff competition at the time.” But, the journalist said the New Jersey animal shelter she adopted Bonnie from likely failed to inform her of the dog’s history of aggressive behaviour. After six months of behavioural training and “daily dog anxiety meds” seemed to make no difference to Bonnie’s biting, Bilis made the decision to try and rehome the pooch. “But I soon learned the shelter where Bonnie came from wouldn’t help me. A volunteer explained that Bonnie was too dangerous to adopt out again, and their affiliated sanctuaries - including several beagle-specific rescues - declined to take her,” she wrote. “Another dog rescue organisation in New York City told me that her bite history - seven bites at the time, though that number would grow - was too extensive for her to even qualify for a special rehabilitation program.” Bilis said both conversations ended with the same conclusion: “behavioural euthanasia”. “She was adorable - and violent,” Bilis wrote. “I found a resolution many choose but few acknowledge.” <a href="https://twitter.com/madelinebilis/status/1402611855252668417">https://twitter.com/madelinebilis/status/1402611855252668417</a> The article drew praise from some readers for addressing a difficult topic, which described how Bonnie was involved in several biting incidents. “Last Christmas morning, I patted my bed, invitingly my newly adopted beagle, Bonnie, to jump and cuddle,” she began in the piece. “My boyfriend, still under the covers, reached out to pet her soft little head, which was now wedged between us. I turned away to grab my phone, and it happened: a guttural bark, followed by a human scream. I whipped around to see my boyfriend’s hand covered in blood. It was Bonnie’s second bite in the week since I’d adopted her.” Bilis recounted another incident where Bonnie bit a man walking past them on the footpath, though she was surprised “the man brushed off the incident”. As the number of incidents continued to grow, Bilis said her “desire to stop living with a dangerous animal” grew too. “As the weeks went by and no new options appeared, I realised I had a choice: I could send her off with a stranger one day - someone she would certainly injure, and who would perhaps end up euthanising her anyway - or I could allow her to leave this terrifying world peacefully with someone she loves.” She stressed the choice to pursue behavioural euthanasia was “not a decision made out of convenience”. “Crushed with guilt, I wondered if there was more I could have done to help my sweet beagle,” she said. Unsurprisingly, the article drew criticism online, with other owners of adopted dogs claiming the decision was motivated by inconvenience. One user said that in her “30-year-plus career as a veterinarian who works on dogs with anxieties and behavioural issues, I’ve only had to euthanise two dogs for child safety reason.” Many also defended Bilis, agreeing she had no choice in the matter. “A lot of people angry about this article but obviously the correct thing to do with a violent and dangerous domesticated animal is put it down,” wrote Daily Wire host Matt Walsh.

Family & Pets

“He taught me unconditional love”: Terminally ill teen films message before ending his own life

The heartbroken parents of a terminally ill teenager who took his own life in front of them are on a mission to get voluntary euthanasia introduced nationwide after the traumatic experience. Rhys Habermann pleaded for his hardworking parents to be spared the consequences of his decision in a devastating video that was handed over to the police and ABC's 7.30 program. The 19-year-old told the camera he wanted the right to die peacefully. "I believe in my right to die by my own choosing. This is tough for everybody but I refuse to go through palliative care, after experiencing a little bit of it this last week," he said. "It's more painful than I could have ever imagined." His parents, Brett and Liz Habermann, from Wuddina, a small country town in South Australia, struggled with their son's decision for months. 18 months before he passed on January 11. 2017, he was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a bone cancer that began in his hip but spread to his shoulders, ribs, spine, skull and lungs. "All Rhys wanted to do was continue with his Year 12 studies. The doctor said, 'Forget Year 12 mate, you need to concentrate on just staying alive'," Mr Habermann told the program. "It was terrible, after taking him home from chemo and just listening to him in his room at the flat we were using, just continuously vomiting." When it was revealed that his diagnosis was terminal, Rhys spoke to his parents about ending his own life rather than going through palliative care. He wanted to do it alone in a motel room so as not to potentially incriminate his parents. But they refused to allow it, telling Rhys he needed to be at home. "And he said, 'but you could go to jail' and it's like 'so be it, whatever'. And with that he taught me unconditional love, to be there with him," Ms Habermann said. "Rhys was really worried about what would happen afterwards. That's why he was adamant we shouldn't have been there, but there's no way in hell we weren't going to be there. "He spent the last 18 months of his life finding the best way to die that wasn't going to totally ruin us." In order to protect his family as much as he possibly could, Rhys asked his parents to film him from his bed. Within hours of Rhys' death, police had arrived and declared the home a crime scene. Officers spent 12 hours rummaging through Rhys' room, laptop, phone and personal affects. It took a further 18 months to clear his parents of any wrongdoing. "It could have been so much kinder to all of us. He was dying anyway," Ms Habermann said. "He felt so robbed that he didn't have a choice, that he was dying anyway. That choice was taken from him. We could've just all been in such a good place that we could have spent his final moments not being scared of what's going to happen." The couple are now pleading with Australian state governments to introduce assisted dying laws to allow people with terminal illnesses the option to die on their own terms. The mother-of-five is actively campaigning for sweeping changes to current laws. "It is their choice. It is voluntary. It is peaceful. It is time South Australian politicians (who seem to think they are God) show these people compassion and pass this Bill," she said earlier this month on the matter. "Apparently it needs to be accepted as a part of life that some people will suffer intolerable pain as they are dying and we have no right to 'kill' them off. "The passing of this Bill in SA won't help my son but I’m still doing this for you Rhys - you deserved so much more than the crap hand life threw at you."

News

Facebook blocks terminally ill man from live streaming his death

Facebook said it would block the livestream of a Frenchman suffering from an incurable condition who wanted to broadcast his death on the social media platform. Alain Cocq recently announced that he was refusing all food, drink and medicine after President Emmanuel Macron declined his request for euthanasia. The 57-year-old suffers from a rare medical condition which causes the walls of his arteries to stick together. Cocq believed he had less than a week to live and said he would broadcast his death from Saturday morning. "The road to deliverance begins and believe me, I am happy," he wrote on Facebook shortly after midnight in a post announcing he had "finished his last meal". "I know the days ahead are going to be difficult but I have made my decision and I am calm," he added. Facebook has been heavily criticised over the way it monitors content and said it was against their rules to portray suicide. "Although we respect (Cocq's) decision to want to draw attention to this complex question, following expert advice we have taken measures to prevent the live broadcast on Alain's account," a Facebook spokesman told AFP. "Our rules do not allow us to show suicide attempts." Cocq is trying to gather supporters saying: "Facebook is blocking my video broadcast until September 8." "It is up to you now," he said in a message to supporters before giving out Facebook's French address "so you can let them know what you think about their methods of restricting free speech". "There will be a back-up within 24 hours" to run the video, he added. Cocq had asked Macron for permission after he wanted to die in peace by taking a substance, but the president refused, saying it was not allowed under French law. Cocq has used his plight to draw attention to the situation of terminally ill patients in France who are unable to be allowed to die in line with their wishes. "Because I am not above the law, I am not able to comply with your request," Macron said in a letter to Cocq, which the patient published on his Facebook page. "I cannot ask anyone to go beyond our current legal framework... Your wish is to request active assistance in dying which is not currently permitted in our country."

Legal

Paralympic gold medallist dies by euthanasia at age 40

Paralympian gold medallist Marieke Vervoort has passed away by euthanasia at the age of 40, 11 years after making a promise to herself. The Belgian Paralympian suffered from an incurable degenerative spinal condition which was diagnosed at the age of 21. The diagnosis followed years of pain, and Vervoort continued to suffer after receiving her diagnosis. "I know how I feel now, but I don't know how I'll feel after half an hour," she says. "It can be that I feel very, very bad, I get an epileptic attack, I cry, I scream because of pain. I need a lot of painkillers, valium, morphine,” she told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/disability-sport/50150513" target="_blank">the BBC.</a> "A lot of people ask me how is it possible that you can have such good results and still be smiling with all the pain and medication that eats your muscles. For me, sports, and racing with a wheelchair - it's a kind of medication." Vervoort was a strong advocate for euthanasia, as she first signed the documents necessary back in 2008, just six years after euthanasia was made legal in Belgium. "I was a very depressed person. I was thinking about how I was going to kill myself,” she said. "All those people who get those papers here in Belgium – they have a good feeling. They don't have to die in pain. "They can choose a moment, and be with the people they want to be with. With euthanasia you're sure that you will have a soft, beautiful death." <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B3x0kvcH4ud/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B3x0kvcH4ud/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Can’t forget the good memories!</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/wielemie.marieke.vervoort/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Marieke Vervoort</a> (@wielemie.marieke.vervoort) on Oct 18, 2019 at 4:45pm PDT </div> </blockquote> A statement from the Belgian Paralympic Committee and IPC called her a “source of inspiration in our society”. "We will not forget Marieke Vervoort's great sporting achievements, as well as her courage in the face of illness," said President of the Belgian Paralympic Committee, Anne d'Ieteren. Marc Vergauwen, Secretary General of the Belgian Paralympic Committee, shared the same sentiment. “Marieke Vervoort brought the disabled into the light with her two medals at the London Paralympic Games. "Her performances as well as her spontaneous interviews after her races generated great media attention for Paralympic sport in Belgium and were a source of inspiration for our society."

Caring

Second Australian state moves one step closer to legalising assisted death

Western Australia is one step closer to legalising voluntary euthanasia for terminally ill adults after the state parliament’s lower house passed proposed government laws on Tuesday. 44 of the 59 lower house MPs voted in favour of the bill, but the vote in the upper house later this month is expected to be tighter. Should the upper house pass the proposed legislation, WA will become the second state in Australia to adopt assisted dying laws, after Victoria. The first vote came as hundreds of euthanasia supporters rallied at the parliament house to urge MPs to back the bill. The proposed laws would allow terminally ill adults who are likely to die within six months – or one year if they have a neurodegenerative condition – to take a drug to end their lives or ask for medical assistance to do so. “This bill will protect vulnerable people in ways that do not exist now,” Health Minister Roger Cook said. “This is a watershed moment. We must have the courage and confidence to uphold these freedoms for the most vulnerable in our society.” Rex Tion, one of the rally’s attendees, said his late grandfather was a “strong advocate” for assisted dying. “He expressed numerous times that he wanted his way out,” Tion told <a href="https://www.watoday.com.au/politics/western-australia/hundreds-rally-at-parliament-as-wa-euthanasia-laws-clear-first-hurdle-20190903-p52nm1.html">WAtoday</a>. “Unfortunately he never got his way, but I’m hopeful that when my time comes, I’ll at least have a choice. “Judging from what I’ve seen, there are a number of safeguards in place and I’m confident that there’s enough checks and balances to ensure that people are not being taken advantage of.” Some critics said the bill should have more safeguards in place, including a requirement for the patients to undergo a psychiatric assessment before they could access the option. “There exists the very real [opportunity] for abuse,” said Labor MP Michelle Roberts. “The fact that we need safeguards means there is something inherently worrying about the principle.” Roberts also said doctors may make mistakes in estimating life expectancy, citing the case of former Labor MP Batong Pham who unexpectedly survived a stroke. “No-one can tell me doctors don’t make mistakes.”

Caring

Magda Szubanski's question brings man to tears: “I’ll live with the decision I made”

A Canberra man who was close to facing jail time for helping his terminally ill wife take her own life has broken down on TV after he was asked a heartbreaking question from Magda Szubanski. Neil O’Riordan appeared on The Project last night, only a few short hours after the charges made against him were dropped. The 63-year-old was arrested earlier in the year and was charged with assisted suicide after he helped his wife of 25 years end her life. Shane Drumgold, the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions, said forcing Neil to face court would be “unduly harsh and oppressive”, saying he was “motivated wholly by love and compassion”. His wife Penelope Blume made the tough decision after she was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2016 and saw her health getting progressively worse. She then turned to her husband about ending her life. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> Imagine being faced with a terminally ill partner who’d made the decision to end their life. You can’t change their mind, so you decide to help fulfill that wish. Then imagine being dragged through the courts immediately afterwards. This is Neil's heartbreaking story. <a href="https://t.co/0r8ku53eDF">pic.twitter.com/0r8ku53eDF</a> — The Project (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/1145983997283098624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">2 July 2019</a></blockquote> “For Penelope, who’d always enjoyed good health, having a body that didn’t work anymore was catastrophic,” Neil told The Project. By March, Penelope was completely dependant on Neil for everything. It was soon after she made the painstaking decision to say goodbye. “It’s the bravest thing I’ve ever seen. I’ll live with the decision that I made,” he said. Neil said he was relieved to not be facing jail time of potentially 10 years but also wishes the ACT accepted euthanasia in the same way as Victoria. The state legalised voluntary euthanasia two weeks ago. “I grew up in what used to be a compassionate and caring country, and I guess I’ve become concerned that we display less and less of those characteristics,” said Neil. “I would hope when it comes to the issue of voluntary assisted dying that we go back to the compassion and caring country that we used to be.” Neil kept his emotions in check throughout the interview but broke down after Magda Szubanski asked him a sensitive question. “It must have been an incredibly hard thing to do,” Szubanski said. “When the final moment came, were you at peace with the decision because you knew that it was what Penelope wanted?” He laughed slightly before responding: “OK. Theoretically, yes, I was perfectly fine with it,” he said, as his voice began breaking. “Until it happened. And I was devastated. I wailed. I thought about the unfairness about why couldn’t I be doing this with my family? Why did we have to be covert?” The couple spent their final night together by going on a date but spoke openly about what was to come. “We weren’t secretive about it. I’m surrounded by people who love and care about me. People were aware of what was going to happen,” he said. “I guess the covertness comes from the fact that the way that it had to happen. I would hope there are opportunities in the future for people to perhaps do that with their family more involved for the processes to be less covert.” Neil then revealed that their final hours spent together was exactly what Penelope wanted. “She wanted to see the beach again, eat seafood again, difficult to acquire in Canberra, and mostly, I guess, we wanted to spend some time alone together,” he said. “I was prepared to and fully expected to be charged, and I guess at some level I expected to be convicted, and I’m very grateful that the court made a different decision.”

Caring

David Goodall: Scientist who took own life at 104 will not be having a funeral

The world-renowned Australian scientist who travelled to Switzerland to die by assisted suicide insisted that he did not want a funeral before he passed away at aged 104. Dr David Goodall died at the suicide clinic in Liestal, near Basel, Switzerland, at 11.30am on Thursday morning, surrounded by family and friends. His final words were “This is taking an awful long time”, just before a lethal dose of a sleeping drug entered his body. In accordance with his final wishes, Beethoven's Ode to Joy played on an iPad, before Dr Goodall died two minutes later. He instructed there be no ceremony held for him because he did not believe in an afterlife. Dr Goodall also requested that his body be donated to medicine and, if that was not possible, that his ashes be sprinkled “locally”. <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/2018/05/how-104-year-old-david-goodall-is-spending-his-last-day-before-ending-his-life/">Dr Goodall spent his last day</a> touring the Basel University Botanical Gardens with three of his grandchildren. At night, he enjoyed a final supper of his favourite meal fish and chips and cheesecake with family and friends. Dr Philip Nitschke who was by Dr Goodall’s side in his last moments told Mail Online: “It is the first time I have heard someone say it’s taking a long time when the drug is intravenous, but David was quite impatient for it to be over.” He added: “He was told it would be a peaceful death and it was. He had his sense of humour right up to the end. He was very pleased to hear the music. “It was a wonderful experience to know him and be so intimately involved in his final weeks of life. Especially after David’s 20 odd years of membership of Exit International.” Before the drug was administered, Dr Goodall was asked four questions by a doctor overseeing the procedure. Dr Goodall was asked to say his name, his date of birth and why he was at the clinic. On the final question he was asked what would happen to him, he replied: “I hope my heart stops.” There was a slight hiccup in the procedure when the Dr Goodall was unable to operate a wheel that would send the lethal drug into his body. He could not twist the wheel, so doctors gave him a switch to flick. As soon as the switch was flicked, Ode to Joy began playing in the room. Dr Goodall closed his eyes and was certified dead by a doctor. Dr Goodall will be cremated in Switzerland and his ashes flown back to his family in Perth, Australia.

Body

How 104-year-old David Goodall is spending his last day before assisted suicide

The 104-year-old Australian scientist who travelled to Switzerland to die today has cheerfully sung 'Ode to Joy' in his last press conference on the eve of his suicide. British-born David Goodall, who is not ill, says his quality of life has deteriorated to such a point that he wants to die. He has vision, hearing and mobility troubles common with his advancing age. “At my age, or less than my age, one wants to be free to choose the death when the death is at an appropriate time,” David said. “My abilities have been in decline over the past year or two, my eyesight over the past six years. I no longer want to continue life. I’m happy to have the chance tomorrow to end it.” Assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland, but it is frowned up by many doctors and people who believe it should be reserved for the terminally ill. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2F9News%2Fvideos%2F1929092097138618%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> However, David’s supporters want assisted suicide to be accepted as a legitimate choice for elderly people, like David, who are ready to go. Life Circle, a small assisted suicide advocacy group based in Basel, and Dr Philip Nitschke, founder of Australian right-to-die group Exit International, are assisting David in his wish and hope to show that it is reasonable for people who are extremely old but not terminally ill to end their lives, too. Professor Goodall, who was born in 1914, flew from his home in Western Australia to France last week to see relatives before arriving in Switzerland. “Luckily my family who are in various parts of Europe and America have rallied round and come to see me, and I welcome the opportunity to see them, which I probably wouldn’t have had if I hadn’t pursued this Swiss option,” he said. He spent his last day touring the Basel University Botanical Gardens with three of his grandchildren. “I feel very privileged that I will be able to be there when my grandfather passes away,” Mr Goodall’s 30-year-old grandson Daniel <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5708877/British-scientist-104-spends-time-family-eve-assisted-suicide-Switzerland.html" title="www.dailymail.co.uk">told the </a><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5708877/British-scientist-104-spends-time-family-eve-assisted-suicide-Switzerland.html" target="_blank" title="www.dailymail.co.uk">Daily Mail.</a><iframe id="google_ads_iframe_/5129/ndm.lifestyle/lifestyle//reallife//newslife_5" title="3rd party ad content" name="google_ads_iframe_/5129/ndm.lifestyle/lifestyle//reallife//newslife_5" width="4" height="4" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0" data-integralas-id-dcc3c576-d1db-3fcc-d52a-a72c5690cec5=""></iframe> “He is so brave and I am so glad that he has been able to make his own choice. “It is his wish that he can end his life, but such a shame that he was not allowed to do it in his own country,” he said. <img width="466" height="350" src="http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/856915380805a66674b759cffeec05a7" alt="David Goodall tours the Basel University Botanical Gardens with three of his grandchildren and two of their partners. Picture: Sean Gallup" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> David was cleared by two Swiss doctors, including a psychiatrist on Wednesday who said he was of sound mind, to proceed with the “Swiss option”.

Caring

Historic euthanasia laws pass upper house vote in Victoria

Victoria is set to become the first Australian state to legalise assisted dying, after <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/2017/10/historic-euthanasia-laws-passed-in-victoria/" target="_blank">historic voluntary euthanasia laws</a> were passed the upper house vote on Wednesday. The Bill passed Victoria’s Upper House, with 22 votes to 18. After a marathon sitting in which the Bill was debated for approximately 100 hours, the Bill passed with MPs seen weeping and hugging in emotional scenes. The Bill will be sent back down to Victoria’s Lower House in its amended form. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Victoria’s euthanasia bill passed through the Upper House with amendments <a href="https://t.co/pOLroeR6rO">pic.twitter.com/pOLroeR6rO</a> — Danielle (@daniellebonica) <a href="https://twitter.com/daniellebonica/status/933202371227762688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2017</a></blockquote> Not everyone is happy however, with former Prime Minister Tony Abbott deciding to weigh in on the issue in an interview with 2GB radio presenter Ben Fordham. “I very much regret the fact the same-sex marriage debate has very much distracted us from this bid to legalise a doctor assisted dying,” Abbott said. “People’s lives have to be respected and this idea that we should end the lives of people who have failed our test of usefulness or have failed our test of what constitutes a decent quality of life is absolutely dead wrong and I hope that a future Victorian Parliament might reverse this. “Doctors should be healers, they should never be required to be killers.” But Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has remained steadfast in his support of the controversial Bill, posting a message on Twitter that outlined the nature of the measure. “Let's remember what we are debating here: the most conservative voluntary assisted dying model that has ever been proposed – let alone implemented – anywhere in the world,” Premier Andrews said. “This legislation is safe. Its purpose is clear. Its time has come.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Let's remember what we are debating here: the most conservative voluntary assisted dying model that has ever been proposed – let alone implemented – anywhere in the world. This legislation is safe. Its purpose is clear. Its time has come. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/springst?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#springst</a> — Daniel Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/DanielAndrewsMP/status/933201795106594816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2017</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Wow. Euthanasia passes in Victoria. Gay marriage by Christmas. A new Australia. — Pia Akerman (@pia_akerman) <a href="https://twitter.com/pia_akerman/status/933202241988698112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2017</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> So within 18 months, voluntary euthanasia likely to be happening in Victoria <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/springst?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#springst</a> — Matt Johnston (@Media_Matt) <a href="https://twitter.com/Media_Matt/status/933201478159761410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2017</a></blockquote> What are your thoughts? Hero image credit: Twitter / Danielle

Caring

Bad news for assisted dying laws in this state

New South Wales residents have just missed out on making voluntary euthanasia legal after a marathon debate in the Upper House resulted in 19 votes in support of the assisted dying bill and 20 against. MPs were given a conscience vote on the proposal put forth by Nationals MP Trevor Khan, which would allow terminally ill people over 25 to end their lives with assistance from medical professionals. Khan admitted he was “disappointed” with the result but plans to keep campaigning for the legislation. “We had what I think is a reasonable expectation that we’d just get over the line [but] obviously we fell short by one,” he told the <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-16/nsw-parliament-votes-on-euthanasia-bill/9158384" target="_blank">ABC</a>. “[But] we’ll continue to talk with the stakeholders, and work out a timing and a campaign. It’s clear that there’s a lot of community support for this. It really needs that campaign to continue and we'll get over the line in due course.” Khan added that he’s aiming to reintroduce a bill on voluntary assisted dying in the next term of Parliament.

Caring

Historic euthanasia laws passed in Victoria

Historic voluntary euthanasia laws have been passed in the state of Victoria, after a marathon sitting overnight in the state’s lower house that went well into Friday. The legislation will now head to Parliament’s upper house, with supporters of the assisted dying bill hopeful they have the numbers required to pass the laws. Exhausted MPs sat through a gruelling session with opponents moving hundreds of amendments in an effort to delay the bill’s passage, but they were all defeated. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Controversial laws to legalise euthanasia in Victoria have passed the Lower House - 47 to 37 votes - after a marathon parliamentary debate. <a href="https://t.co/7retBB6p2L">pic.twitter.com/7retBB6p2L</a> — 7 News Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) <a href="https://twitter.com/7NewsAdelaide/status/921177655566786560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2017</a></blockquote> The proposed laws would give terminally ill people with less than 12 months to live who are suffering unbearable pain the ability to request lethal medication. There was reportedly an applause in the chamber once the numbers were finally in. What’s your take on this story? Hero image credit: Twitter / Guardian Australia

Caring

Shock health diagnosis for Andrew Denton

TV personality Andrew Denton has been diagnosed with advanced heart disease and will soon undergo multiple bypass surgery. Originally from Sydney, the producer and writer is known for shows such as Enough Rope with Andrew Denton and Blah Blah Blah. The diagnosis has forced the 57-year-old to withdraw from his campaign to legalise euthanasia. The Go Gentle Australia director is expected to be absent when Premier Daniel Andrews’ bill for assisted dying he introduced and discussed in the Victorian Parliament. Amidst concerns from his campaign followers, his office has said the campaign will continue under its campaign manager Paul Price. The debate is expected to intensify in the coming weeks when the bill on assisted dying is introduced in the Lower House. Recently, various religious leaders from the Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Greek Orthodox and Coptic Orthodox churches saying that assisted suicide represented the “abandonment” of the terminally ill and sent a “confusing message” about the value of life. Right to Life also saw opposition when leaflets were sent out in nine marginal electorates that said Mr Andrews wanted to sanction euthanasia to “save healthcare dollars”. If you are troubled by this report, experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide, you can call Lifeline 131 114 or beyondblue 1300 224 636 or visit <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__lifeline.org.au_&d=DwMFaQ&c=N9aEhCy8U0rJkO1xCZf7rgM9fohfR5qe_N93viZd7O8&r=OLJzk1_Yaoj-e15SvULQ6FeAkzLu8j1y8oW9bB_1nS0&m=GxQQUmbDuJSVbwD5UyZm2EzBq21idem-CttQCup8YTg&s=78jm4YinWaFEKr410zJnc1I42DBQGgyezaGZzK5Sw2E&e=" target="_blank">lifeline.org.au</a> or <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__beyondblue.org.au_&d=DwMFaQ&c=N9aEhCy8U0rJkO1xCZf7rgM9fohfR5qe_N93viZd7O8&r=OLJzk1_Yaoj-e15SvULQ6FeAkzLu8j1y8oW9bB_1nS0&m=GxQQUmbDuJSVbwD5UyZm2EzBq21idem-CttQCup8YTg&s=EEenIPyNcgrvvdEB6izKMthQQIxVgq_bxj5dQQGK6Fg&e=" target="_blank">beyondblue.org.au</a> Image credit: Edwina Pickles

News

Australian doctors and nurses support controversial euthanasia bill

Most NSW doctors and nurses support a controversial medial euthanasia bill that’s headed for Parliament, amid debate surrounding assisted suicide laws. The bill, which will allow patients to apply for medically assisted euthanasia in specific circumstances when older the 25, will be introduced to the NSW upper house in August. The survey, carried out by market research company Ekas, found 60 per cent of doctors supported the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill, and as many as 80 per cent of nurses were in favour of the law reform, albeit from a smaller sample group. The research was reportedly paid for by a crowd-funding campaign for Annie Gabrielides, a motor neurone disease sufferer who is an advocate of euthanasia. "I'm consistently hearing from doctors and medical experts expressing their sincere support of my campaign, but they're reluctant to speak out," she said. The controversial law changes could leave the medical profession divided, with the Australian Medical Association warning research could overstate doctor’s support. AMA NSW president Brad Frankum told <a href="http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/" target="_blank">Fairfax</a>, “It is likely that doctors with more strongly held opinions are responding to these surveys so caution must be used.” A spokesman for the AMA also emphasised that a national poll of 4000 doctors last year found 50 per cent of doctors believed medical professionals should not be involved in assisted suicide. So, what’s your take? Do you believe in voluntary euthanasia?

Caring

Terminally ill patients in this state could soon have right to die

Terminally ill NSW residents over the age of 25 could soon have the right to end their lives with medical assistance under draft legislation with cross party support, that’s expected to be introduced to state parliament in the coming months. The Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill, drafted by a parliamentary working group of members of the Coalition, Labour, Greens and an independent, would apply to those in severe pain or physical incapacity and are considered likely to die within 12 months. Under the bill, patients would be assessed by their primary doctor, a specialist and a psychologist of psychiatrist, before being allowed to self-administer a lethal substance to end their lives. They may be assisted by a medical practitioner or nominated person. The bill has several safeguards in place, including a 48-hour cooling-off period as well as the right of close relatives to challenge patient eligibility in court. It also requires two medical practitioners approving the final decision. Nationals MP Trevor Khan told <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/" target="_blank">ABC News</a>, “The overwhelming majority of Australians and people who live in NSW want some action on this subject.” Labor MP Lynda Voltz said it pollies should listen to community support, “I go and walk my dog and people talk to me about it, I go out to community meetings and people talk about it. “There is a lot of community support out there for a bill of this nature and parliaments can no longer stick their head in the sand and ignore that community expectation.” It certainly is a controversial issue. What’s your take on the euthanasia debate? Do you think terminally ill patients should have the right to choose when they die? Or is it one of those situations where there’s just too many grey areas? Let us know in the comments.

Body

Q&A outburst during fierce euthanasia debate

Debates don’t come much more <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/mind/2016/11/ash-cottrell-on-why-she-wants-to-create-a-film-on-elderly-male-suicide/">contentious than the euthanasia one</a>, and the topic was front and centre during last night’s episode of Q&A where a senior couple stole the show with a passionate outburst directed at members the panel. A 90-year-old man and his 81-year-old wife asked the panel why politician were struggling to come to an agreement on legalising the process of euthanasia. The man, called Ron, said, “We have decided that we will not go in to any kind of aged care facility. And if the time comes where we can’t take care of ourselves, we will look for some form of euthanasia. We have told our children about our wishes. “They have, albeit reluctantly… to our wishes.” Anti-euthanasia advocate and Professor of Bioethics at Sydney’s Notre Dame University Margaret Sommerville countered Ron’s argument, calling it a, “very bad idea”. Professor Sommerville said, “I actually believe one person intentionally killing another person is wrong. But not everybody agrees with that. Some people think it can be justified in some cases. But even if you think that, I would argue to you the risks and harms of legalising and particularly legalising doctors being able to take the lives of their patients inflicting death intentionally is so dangerous that we shouldn’t allow it.” But the woman Ron sat with took issue with the use of the word “killing”. She said, “Right now we’re in good health. We do not intend to take our own life until we need to. And it’s not about killing anyone. We will be doing it ourselves. I’m not asking Ron to kill me. I will do it myself. And Ron will do it himself. I don’t know what you’re on about, darling, about killing That is definitely the wrong word to be using.” The woman ultimately concluded, “Bulls***. Tell it as it is.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Why would you want to interfere with our wishes to access euthanasia? Margaret Somerville & <a href="https://twitter.com/NikkiGemmell">@NikkiGemmell</a> respond <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/QandA?src=hash">#QandA</a> <a href="https://t.co/qZyh7ZsOWI">pic.twitter.com/qZyh7ZsOWI</a> — ABC Q&A (@QandA) <a href="https://twitter.com/QandA/status/851406982850396162">April 10, 2017</a></blockquote> As the panel changed topics, Q&A host Tony Jones described the passionate outburst from the senior as a take on the issue that was “somehow quite refreshing”. Did you watch Q&A last night? What’s your take on the outburst, and the <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/2016/11/euthanasia-bill-fails-in-south-australia-for-the-15th-time/">euthanasia debate at large</a>? Share your thoughts in the comments, we’d love to get your opinion.

News

I want the choice to die with dignity

Judith Daley, 71, pens this moving open letter on why she supports voluntary euthanasia. <img width="164" height="164" src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/vep/pages/164/attachments/original/1423608011/210x210_Judith.png?1423608011" style="margin: 20px; float: left;"/> I am a life member of Dying with Dignity. I am on the Dying with Dignity Committee and a member of the Voluntary Euthanasia Party. The first half of my working life was in office administration and those experiences shaped my desire to work in social justice. I was 49 before I went to university for the first time. The last half of my working life was basically all about social justice as a union industrial officer and delegate; as a conciliation officer with the Human Rights Commission and as an industrial investigator. My late partner, Bob, had a rare heart condition so he and I were forced to focus on his possible imminent death on many, many occasions. We joined Dying with Dignity NSW in the early 1990s and we became life members in 1999. I am now on that Committee. Bob had lots of emergency admissions to hospital via ambulance and we heard frequent excruciating, screaming, moaning deaths so he became extremely apprehensive about the manner of his death although he wasn’t worried about the destination. Bob died nearly eight years ago and I am pleased that he died at home, with my arm around him, in a very speedy manner. Approximately 20 years ago I was diagnosed with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, also known as emphysema) because I am an ex-smoker. This means I have had to face my mortality on several occasions when I have had out of control lung infections and pneumonia. I’ve had several trips to hospital and been obliged to use oxygen to supplement my breathing. Although my condition is currently well managed it will gradually deteriorate and ultimately I will not be breathing. I will be gurgling so I have the same concerns about the manner of my death. Sadly I am very aware that not all pain can be controlled by today's drugs and the palliative care processes. For people in that circumstance, and for whom the future is intolerable, and who are mentally competent to make the decision, assisted death should be a real, dignified and viable option. With proper safeguards in place it will not be a slippery slope. It is not compulsory for those who do not want to take that option but they should not be able to control my choice. Without assisted dying legislation our community is imposing prolonged agony and misery on some people as well as forcing the families and friends of those people to participate in their distress and anxiety. And this suffering can last for months and even years. I want the choice of voluntary euthanasia because it is the humane option for some and I believe it is a fundamental human right. Let's treat people as well as we treat our pets. Do you think we should be given the choice of voluntary euthanasia? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below. If you have a story or opinion to share, please get in touch at <a href="mailto:melody@oversixty.com.au">melody@oversixty.com.au</a> Related links: <a href="/health/caring/2016/06/dementia-malnutrition-risk/">Dementia patients at risk of malnutrition</a> <a href="/health/caring/2016/05/signs-of-elderly-abuse-and-neglect/">Signs your elderly loved one is suffering abuse or neglect</a> <a href="/health/caring/2016/05/how-to-tell-loved-ones-about-serious-illness-diagnosis/">How to talk to loved ones about a serious illness diagnosis</a>

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