News outlets report a Canadian woman is seeking assisted suicide after being unable to receive the medical treatment she desperately needs for eight years.
Jolene Van Alstine from Saskatchewan was diagnosed with a rare condition called normocalcemic primary hyperparathyroidism that causes severe bone pain, nausea, and vomiting. Despite undergoing three surgeries, she still needs specialized care to locate and remove an overactive parathyroid gland. However, no surgeon is available in her province to perform the procedure, and she cannot get a referral to see specialists outside Saskatchewan.
After going without proper treatment for so long, Van Alstine applied for Canada’s so-called Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) program.
Experience has shown that assisted-suicide doesn’t help people who are sick and dying.
Oregon first allowed physician-assisted suicide in 1998, and official state reports have shown for years that the reasons people give most often for wanting to end their lives are loss of autonomy, decreasing ability to participate in activities that make life enjoyable, and loss of dignity.
Most patients do not express concerns about pain.
In Oregon, terminally ill patients routinely receive lethal prescriptions without being referred for psychiatric evaluation.
Many of these patients are lonely and feel like they are losing control over their lives because of their illness. They need counseling and support — not a prescription for deadly drugs.
In parts of the U.S. where physician-assisted suicide is legal, insurance companies have refused to pay for patients’ medical care, but have offered to cover assisted-suicide drugs.
And we have heard stories about patients in Europe and Canada being denied care or actively euthanized thanks to bad government policies.
Stories like these are part of the reason why Family Council has worked hard to block assisted suicide legislation in Arkansas.
In 2019 and 2021, Arkansas lawmakers wisely rejected very bad end-of-life laws that were flawed and fundamentally disrespected the right to life. Family Council worked closely with our friends in the legislature to stop these proposals.
Being pro-life means believing innocent human life is sacred from conception until natural death.
Just like abortion, euthanasia and assisted-suicide are murder, and they violate the sanctity of human life.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
