John Kelly and Alex Schadenberg on Radio Sputnik Radio’s “Brave New World”

March 27, 2015alex schadenberg, assisted suicide, euthanasia, john kelly, media coverage, Our News & Commentary BlogAlex Schadenberg, assisted suicide, euthanasia, John Kelly, media coverageStephen Drake

…Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, were guests on “Brave New World,” a show on Radio Sputnik. Also on the show was Gert Huysmans, the President of the Federation of Palliative care of Flanders (Belgium). John Harrison is the host of the show. According to John Kelly, this show was better venue than he is used to – venues in which news hosts are often openly hostile to any opponent of legalized assisted suicide and euthanasia. John sa…

Why is there so much suicide promotion during National Suicide Prevention Week?

September 8, 2011assisted suicide, barbara coombs lee, Compassion & Choices, euthanasia, Massachusetts, national suicide prevention week, Netherlands, Oregon, Our News & Commentary Blog, reality check, suicide prevention, UK, world suicide prevention dayStephen Drake

…. The week has, from my somewhat skewed vantage, been dominated by suicide news – but not by news dealing with prevention. For example, yesterday Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley certified an initiative petition for the “Death with Dignity Act” (aka “make assisted suicide legal act”). We’ll write more about that later, but the certification allows the petitioners to gather signatures; if successful in meeting the quota, the initiative…

Sad news – writer/speaker/lawyer/activist Harriet McBryde Johnson has passed away

June 4, 2008activism, advocacy, goodbyes, media issues, Our News & Commentary Blog, Peter Singer, schiavoStephen Drake

…et president and founder Diane Coleman wrote the following to some friends today when she heard the news: Dear friends, I just learned through another email list that Harriet McBryde Johnson passed away last night. This is a terrible shock. Harriet and I shared so much, spinal muscular atrophy, being attorneys (she with an active practice), work against euthanasia. She has been a sister in the struggle. Beyond perhaps all others in our movement, h…

Vermont: Testimony of Ira Byock, MD to Vermont Senate Committee on Health and Welfare Hearing on End of Life Choices

January 31, 2013"end of life", end-of-life care, ira byock, legislation, Our News & Commentary Blog, palliative care, vermontStephen Drake

…ury, people with conditions such as kidney failure or heart failure died abruptly but today they may live for many years – for most of the time quite well. Throughout history, cancer was a brief illness. We are now able to cure nearly 60% of cancers and many cancers we cannot also become conditions that people can live with, often for many months if not years. For all the progress and power of medicine, we have yet to make even one person immortal…

Hawaii Senate Panel to Debate and Hear Testimony on Assisted Suicide Bill Today

February 7, 2011Andi van der Voort, assisted suicide, diane coleman, dredf, hawaii, legislation, Marilyn Golden, Our News & Commentary Blog, Robert Yagi, scott fosterStephen Drake

…d that Yagi was trying to end his wife’s suffering: “When I saw it (on the news), I knew exactly what I was hearing,” he said. “We hear it all the time all over the world, rich people, poor people, people in pain, people suffering.” There is no indication that Yagi’s wife wanted to be killed. Or does Mr. Foster believe there should be some sort of law allowing caregivers to order the euthanasia of their spouse or child? In fact, Foster is just doi…