John Scully has been living with a major depressive disorder diagnosis for four decades, and despite trying nearly every treatment known to medicine, from shock therapy to trans-magnetic stimulation, his condition has not improved.
The 82-year-old says he wants that suffering to end. He wants to do it legally, painlessly, in a way that respects his loved ones. He wants medical assistance in dying.
Opponents, including some disability advocates, have expressed concern over whether it will further open the door to abuse and coercion, and that people will choose to end their lives when what they really need is better access to support, including housing and mental health care. Scully, a former journalist who covered 35 war zones in a lengthy and award-winning career, also suffers from severe spinal stenosis and chronic kidney disease. But these physical ailments do not qualify him for an assisted death.
The latter also "contributes to the suffering of family and friends who love them," Perrot said. "For most people, suicide is a very isolated and lonely act and that's not how a dignified end of life should be.""Each patient is going to be assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the unique particularities of their lives and circumstances and wishes," she said.
In a statement, Justice Minister David Lametti said he knows that the delay is frustrating and disappointing. For Ron Posno, who has mid-stage Alzheimer's and dementia, assisted dying is still out of reach — even though he can foresee wanting to access it when his condition becomes mentally and physically debilitating.
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