Category Archives: Me Before You

Matt Valliere On the Many Harms of Medical Quality of Life Judgments

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On November 2, Newsweek published an excellent op-ed by Matt Valliere, Executive Director of the Patients Rights Action Fund (PRAF), entitled The Brutal, Tragic, Consequences of Quality of Life Judgements. Though PRAF’s mission is focused on opposing assisted suicide laws, the op-ed does an uncommonly good job discussing other discriminatory and harmful medical practices that … Continue reading Matt Valliere On the Many Harms of Medical Quality of Life Judgments →

John Kelly’s testimony covers medical mistakes, class and race/ethnic divide and more

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Massachusetts Public Health Committee hearing on the state’s assisted suicide bill: John B. Kelly Oral Testimony against EOLA H.2381/S.1384 October 1, 2021 Thank you. Everyone knows that doctors make mistakes, and studies show that 12 to 15 percent of people outlive the six-month hospice benefit for supposedly terminal people. But this year Oregon revealed that … Continue reading John Kelly’s testimony covers medical mistakes, class and race/ethnic divide and more →

John Kelly: Movies Can Send A Dangerous Message About Suicide and Disability

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As we have been covering since spring, here, here, here and here, disability rights advocates around the country, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand held protests against the movie “Me Before You” for its hateful message that some disabled people are better off dead. John shares the same disability as the fictional Will in the movie, … Continue reading John Kelly: Movies Can Send A Dangerous Message About Suicide and Disability →

Face To Face: Challenging the “Better Dead Than Disabled” Message

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Two video projects led by people with disabilities, one in the U.S. and one in Canada, are challenging the mainstream message that it’s better to be dead than disabled. We all know that personal stories are often the most effective forms of communication, and that’s exactly what these projects offer in face-to-face communication. The U.S. … Continue reading Face To Face: Challenging the “Better Dead Than Disabled” Message →

In Case You Missed It: John Kelly Video Interview On “Me Before You” & Assisted Suicide

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[Editor’s Note: Mea Culpa, we meant to post a blog on this as soon as we got the video captioned, and it’s been posted in our “In the News” section, but catching up belatedly here in the blog. . .] In this in-depth interview, Not Dead Yet’s New England regional director John Kelly critiques the … Continue reading In Case You Missed It: John Kelly Video Interview On “Me Before You” & Assisted Suicide →