Image – Unsplash: Yuris Alhumaydy
Another horrifying story has emerged out of Canada where a suicidal disabled woman called a hotline and was urged to consider assisted suicide.
The woman, known as Amy, who is a survivor of child abuse that inflicted physical injuries and PTSD, called a suicide hotline because she was suffering from suicidal thoughts.
Instead of receiving understanding and advice, Amy was urged to consider Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD).
The suicide hotline operator said: “Well, MAiD is a legit and legal option. Maybe it’s something you should consider. The medical system seems to be failing you. And you are never going to get the opiate pain medication that you think you need.”
A shocked Amy then reached out to Meghan Schrader, a disability rights advocate who also campaigns against assisted suicide.
Schrader, who took action to get Amy the help she desperately needed, explained what happened next:
“With help from about ten different people, including the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, Amy was eventually able to take a train four hours away from home and show up in the emergency room of a hospital that opposes MAiD and specializes in chronic pain and mental illness. Amy finally received excellent care.
“Although Amy sometimes still has symptoms of chronic pain and PTSD and life is still often quite a struggle, Amy’s symptoms are manageable, and Amy is not planning to die by MAiD. It was my honor to attend Amy’s Zoom birthday party recently.”
Amy’s story is just one of example of many in which vulnerable Canadians have been pushed towards assisted suicide.
Several Canadian veterans with PTSD have also been recommended MAiD in recent years. One ex-soldier suffering from PTSD was told to consider assisted suicide by a veteran affairs hotline. He and his family were left “deeply disturbed” by the encounter.
Canadians denied healthcare have also been recommended assisted suicide. One man, who was injured in a workplace accident, was granted MAiD after being refused surgery, which he begged for after his accident.
MP Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill for England and Wales is set to be debated on 13 June, with a crucial vote expected to take place on 20 June.
Leadbeater’s Bill seeks to legalise assisted suicide for terminally ill adults given less than six months to life.
However, when asked if the Bill, if passed, might be expanded in the future, Leadbeater said “that could happen”.
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