By Judie Brown
Everyone deserves to know the truth about what it means to die. But more importantly, each of us should be aware of what others might do to rob us or our loved ones of each moment that God has planned for us during this life.
Consider the Canadian man who was recently euthanized because he was suffering from blindness in one eye and seasonal affective disorder—a type of depression related to changes in seasons and that most often occurs during the winter months. Since the man was having difficulty dealing with the crosses in his life, he petitioned to have his life prematurely taken by Doctor Ellen Wiebe, a woman responsible for more than 400 such deaths.
This is not an isolated case. In fact, according to the statistics, hundreds of people are seeking to die on their own terms, and in many countries this is legal.
In view of this burgeoning euthanasia trend, we want to say a few words about the invaluable resources offered to the public by HALO—the Healthcare Advocacy and Leadership Organization—an organization dedicated to respect for life, not early dismissal from life. It is our view that people who seek to die because of pain, depression, or other situations feel alone and in many cases are convinced that dying is their only option.
These resources can and do save lives. We hope you take a moment to consider whether you or a loved one needs to become familiar with them:
Informed: A Guide for Critical Medical Decisions discusses some of the many reasons why medical powers of attorney should be drafted with the protection of life in mind.
Making a Difference helps those who have medically vulnerable loved ones see how they can make a difference by protecting them and advocating on their behalf.
Assisted Suicide: You Can Live Without It provides the logical points of respect for life that are far too often either denied in our culture today or swept away in favor of helping the vulnerable die on a timetable that has nothing to do with God’s will.
A Natural Death in God’s Time: A Caregiver’s Life-Affirming Guide, written by a dedicated pro-life physician, tells a story provided by a nurse practitioner who has spent much of her life preparing families for the inevitable without taking the lives of those entrusted to her care.
The Food and Water Dilemma explains that death by starvation and dehydration is an awful way to end a person’s life, yet many in the medical profession see this as a valid option. Providing food and water to someone who is dying may not prolong their life, but it will keep them comfortable so that the agony of starvation and dehydration is not added to the experience of dying.
Effectively Navigating Hospitals When Advocating for a Loved One is a simple guide to making sure those you love are being treated with respect during hospital stays.
HALO also offers resources to help communicate with those who are comatose, as well as materials to help you and family members execute a life-affirming medical proxy in the event the patient is unable to communicate with those caring for her. Far too many Americans are dying because these once commonly understood facts are unknown to them or are ignored by those caring for them.
In this age of technological advancement, it is too easy to lose sight of the respect due the dignity of a human person, even when he or she is near death’s door. It is our sincere hope that these tools will find their way into the hands of families and friends, churches and organizations, hospitals and medical schools, and all those places where life should be embraced, revered, and respected until that moment when God calls each of us home. Let us be the ones who make sure that nobody is dying for the truth that is denied them.