Pam Heavens: Do not support legalizing physician-assisted suicide

The Times Weekly published this opinion letter by Illinois disability advocate Pam Heavens on October 2nd:

The Illinois General Assembly is considering a bill that will legalize physician-assisted suicide. I am a 68-year-old Disabled woman and proud member of “Stop Assisted Suicide Illinois Coalition”, which vehemently opposes this bill. This organization includes representatives from diverse communities including disability rights, patients’ rights, health care, hospice care, human rights, senior rights, veterans, and various faith- based advocacy organizations. All parties are committed to keeping Illinois a physician-assisted suicide free state.

Since our health care system does not treat everyone equally, the practice of physician – assisted suicide raises the risk for those who often do not get the same access and treatment as others. This includes people with disabilities, veterans, people with mental illness, older people and those who cannot afford high-quality health care. How this manifests in the health care system is illustrated in the movie “Million Dollar Baby,” which feeds into the attitude that many non-disabled people who become disabled are then “better dead than disabled.”  Disability and poverty are two major factors that have the potential of making assisted suicide seem desirable. Regarding mental illness, none of the physician-assisted suicide laws have strong requirements that a person seeking it be evaluated by a psychiatrist.

The doctor/patient relationship is sacred. It is a bond that is strengthened by mutual trust. Legalizing physician-assisted suicide irrefutably erases that trust. Illinois lawmakers must unequivocally reject legalizing doctor assisted suicide. To do less will leave a stain on our state of which we all will be ashamed.