Category Archives: Our News & Commentary Blog

Subscribe to our blog by email

Philadelphia: Young Girl Being Denied Transplant Because Her “Retardation” Doesn’t Make Her “Worthy”

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, death through denial, medical bigotry, medical decisionmaking, medical discrimination, organ donation, organ transplants, Our News & Commentary Blog

Recently, Diane Coleman wrote about new proposals to increase the pool of donor organs, and that have particularly disturbing ramifications in terms of the care and treatment of newly disabled individuals.  We already know that organ transplant teams are more than willing to obtain organs from individuals with long-term disabilities, as highlighted by the case … Continue reading Philadelphia: Young Girl Being Denied Transplant Because Her “Retardation” Doesn’t Make Her “Worthy” →

NDY President Diane Coleman’s Letter to National Post re: Poll on Assisted Suicide

assisted suicide, Canada, diane coleman, letters to the editor, media coverage, Our News & Commentary Blog, polls, reality check

Last week, the National Post reported on a recent poll of Canadians in which 67% of the poll respondents indicated their support for legalized assisted suicide for people who are “terminally ill.”  NDY President Diane Coleman fired off a letter to the Post and it was published on Tuesday, January 6.  The link for the … Continue reading NDY President Diane Coleman’s Letter to National Post re: Poll on Assisted Suicide →

Organ Procurement Guidelines, Health Care Decisions and People With Disabilities

bioethics, dcd, diane coleman, donation after cardiac death, national catholic partnership on disability, organ donation, Our News & Commentary Blog, public comment, Stephen Mikochik, united network for organ sharing

Less than two months ago, I was introduced to a new policy arena about which I still have much to learn:  the organ procurement and organ sharing system.  In the U.S., the federal Department of Health and Human Services contracts with the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN)/United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) to manage … Continue reading Organ Procurement Guidelines, Health Care Decisions and People With Disabilities →

Massachusetts: John Kelly of Second Thoughts Interviewed on Boston Neighborhood Network

assisted suicide, john kelly, Massachusetts, media coverage, Our News & Commentary Blog, Second Thoughts

On December 9, we shared the press release of the newly-formed Second Thoughts disability group in Massachusetts.  The group formed to oppose the Massachusetts assisted suicide initiative, which is being promoted by what is more or less the local branch of Compassion & Choices (aka “conflation & con jobs”). Second Thoughts is led by disability … Continue reading Massachusetts: John Kelly of Second Thoughts Interviewed on Boston Neighborhood Network →

Disability Activists, Advocates and Others Pile on Time Magazine’s Error-Filled Kevorkian Tribute

assisted suicide, bint alshamsa, blog recommendations, Carol Loving, diane coleman, euthanasia, john kelly, Kendall Corbett, Kevorkian, media issues, Our News & Commentary Blog, Time magazine

My thanks to readers of this blog.  Several entered into the surprisingly short comment thread in Time Magazine‘s “Fond Farewell” to Jack Kevorkian, which I wrote about last week.  (Among other issues, the obituary referred to the people Kevorkian “helped” as ‘dying.) Surprisingly, aside from one person who made the tired old “we’re kinder to … Continue reading Disability Activists, Advocates and Others Pile on Time Magazine’s Error-Filled Kevorkian Tribute →