All posts by Stephen Drake

News on Minna Mettinen-Kekalainen: Home Care Resumed, But Problems Remain

als, aspergers, Canada, long term care, Our News & Commentary Blog, palliative care

Like many bloggers/advocates/activists, I have been awaiting word that Minna Mettinen-Kekalainen’s home care had actually resumed. The last news story about her situation was published when the first day of resumed care was still several days away. Northern Life.ca has an update on Minna, a mixed bag of good news and progress still to be … Continue reading News on Minna Mettinen-Kekalainen: Home Care Resumed, But Problems Remain →

ABC’s GMA Helps Author Promote Memoir and Assisted Suicide

assisted suicide, Homicide / 'Mercy Killing', media coverage, media issues, Oregon, Our News & Commentary Blog, reality check

ABC’s Good Morning America appears to have pulled out all the stops in helping attorney John West promote his recently-published book, “The Last Goodnights.” The book is a memoir detailing how he “assisted” the suicides of both his parents about ten years ago. Before I get into the specifics of the coverage, I’d like to … Continue reading ABC’s GMA Helps Author Promote Memoir and Assisted Suicide →

New Mobility: NDY quoted in story on U.K. Airing of Ewert Suicide

assisted suicide, media coverage, New Mobility, Our News & Commentary Blog, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Back in December, Roxanne Furlong called me. Roxanne is the Associate Editor of New Mobility, a magazine focused on the interests of wheelchair users. It covers the gamut of disability concerns – the arts, lifestyle, leisure, politics and advocacy. Roxanne called me for comments on the airing of a documentary that featured the suicide and … Continue reading New Mobility: NDY quoted in story on U.K. Airing of Ewert Suicide →

More on Brignell Column From William Peace at Bad Cripple

assisted suicide, blog recommendations, Our News & Commentary Blog, United Kingdom

Just today, William Peace at Bad Cripple wrote his own thoughts in regard to Victoria Brignell’s column on assisted suicide, which I responded to yesterday. Peace takes on a different part of the essay by Brignell and provides a long analysis of some issues that triggered his own thought processes. Here’s the introduction: What I … Continue reading More on Brignell Column From William Peace at Bad Cripple →

U.K.: Brignell Column on Disability and Assisted Suicide Misses Several Points

assisted suicide, bioethics, Our News & Commentary Blog, reality check, suicide, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Last week, New Statesman, a U.K. based magazine covering current affairs, published an essay by disability columnist Victoria Brignell. Unfortunately, “Assisted Death,” indicates she shares a lot of confusion with the very public she’s trying to educate about disability rights and “assisted death:” In recent years the media spotlight has fallen on a number of … Continue reading U.K.: Brignell Column on Disability and Assisted Suicide Misses Several Points →