Supporters of euthanasia and assisted suicide don’t understand the pressures that make some people with disabilities ask for help to die. Bad living conditions, the message that our lives aren’t worth living, lack of good and timely medical care (including pain relief), abuse and family pressures, can all push us toward asking to die.
These problems are not the fault of our disabilities, they are problems with the society. People with disabilities should not have to die because of social problems.
The only people who can explain this to supporters of euthanasia and assisted suicide are people with disabilities who face these social problems on a daily basis.
It took people with disabilities telling their stories to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act. It will take people with disabilities telling their stories to stop euthanasia and assisted suicide.
We want to hear your story if any of these things has happened to you:
- You’ve been told by friends, family or strangers that you’d be better off dead.
- You’ve been told by friends or family that you are a burden and the family would be better off without you.
- You’ve outlived one or more medical prognoses.
- You are stuck in an institution and sometimes feel like you want to die.
- You are isolated at home without adequate services or the ability to get out, work, go to school, get around, and you sometimes feel like you want to die.
- You have been neglected or abused at home or in an institution, and you sometimes feel like you want to die.
- You were offered euthanasia or assisted suicide by family, friends or medical professionals.
- You felt low and depressed but couldn’t get help.
- A therapist or counsellor said your problems were caused by your disability, instead of looking at your living situation or other social factors.
- You received slow or half-hearted medical care because of your disability.
- You had a “do not resuscitate” order put on your medical chart without your knowledge or consent.
- You were pressured to sign a “do not resuscitate” order, meaning you were asked many times, or the medical staff encouraged you to sign it.
We would like you to make a short (<5 minutes) video describing one such situation. We can help you make the video, and we can hide your identity if you prefer. We would use the video to show how people with disabilities are vulnerable to euthanasia and assisted suicide laws. We can also arrange for peer support to help you through the hard times. If you want to help, please contact us on facebook, by twitter @tigrlily61 email amy.hasbrouck@tvndy.ca or call Amy at 450-921-3057.
