R U Ready? Portlight Strategies, Emergency Preparedness and Media Awareness, April 1 – 7. Share Your Stories!

March 31, 2014Our News & Commentary Blogdisability advocacy, disaster preparedness, media alert, storiesStephen Drake

…large print, ASL interpreter, etc..) in a disaster During the week of the RUReady media blitz, we will all change our Facebook profile picture to the below graphic. We encourage everyone to do the same. Contact us and let us know if you are interested in participating at holly@portlight.org or shari@portlight.org Not Dead Yet is concerned with the life and death issues that affect disabled people of all ages. The dangers that disasters present we…

Diane Coleman, John Kelly and Marilyn Golden Quoted in U.S. News & World Report Article on “Right to Die”

March 24, 2014diane coleman, john kelly, Marilyn Golden, media coverage, Our News & Commentary Blogassisted suicide, Diane Coleman, John Kelly, Marilyn Golden, media coverageStephen Drake

Today, March 24th, the U.S. News & World Report site published an article titled “Is There a Right to Die?” The article focuses mainly on the current battle around assisted suicide legislation in Connecticut. The most remarkable aspect of this article is that about half of it is devoted to quotes from disability activists, who are the only opponents to legalized assisted suicide quoted in the article. Marilyn Golden from DREDF is quoted as are Di…

Third Annual National Day of Mourning: Is Your City Holding an Event?

February 11, 2014Our News & Commentary BlogDiane Coleman

…their parents or caregivers, bring awareness to these tragedies, and demand justice and equal protection under the law for all people with disabilities. On March 1st, we will come together again, and we ask you to join us. So far, thirty seven volunteers have signed up to serve as site coordinators for vigils across the country. As March 1st approaches rapidly, we ask anyone who might have been waiting to sign up to hold a local vigil to do so no…

Guest Blog by Cathy Ludlum: Better Dead Than Fed? NOT!

February 9, 2014better dead than disabled, Cathy Ludlum, Connecticut, death by starvation and dehydration, dehydration, Feeding Tubes, guest blog, living well, medical devices, Our News & Commentary Blog, Second Thoughts Connecticut, starvationDiane Coleman

…ul for all these extra years of good health and greatly reduced stress. February 9-15 is Feeding Tube Awareness Week, which is an opportunity to spread the word about all the children and adults who are living healthy and active lives with tubes. Some people use this technology on a permanent basis; others use it to bridge their recovery from illness or injury, or while their digestive systems mature to the point where they can transition to typic…

Georgia: Response Letters to op-ed by Final Exit Network (FEN) president Wendell Stephenson

January 19, 2012Concrete Change, Eleanor Smith, final exit network, Georgia, Georgia Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, hospice, Our News & Commentary Blog, palliative careStephen Drake

…N). “Ensuring death with dignity” is no longer freely available at the AJC site, but the same essay was published in December last year in the Metrowest Daily News and can still be read here. It’s the usual conflation of terminal illness with chronic illness, sensationalist language describing FEN members and supporters as victims of oppression, etc. This blog will probably be revisiting Stephenson’s piece in the near future. In the meantime, his…