Should we be able to choose how and when we die? Over the past few years, there has been a growing push for legislation on this issue. As of this year, 10 states have legalized death with dignity statues. Death With Dignity is a movement which argues that life-ending drugs should be offered to terminally ill patients as a "compassionate" alternative to prolonging their suffering. However compassionate this may seem to some, physician-assisted suicide poses many problems and attacks, at its core, the sanctity and beauty of life.
Death with Dignity gained momentum more recently with the story of Brittany Maynard in 2014. Brittany was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer at the age of 29. Afraid of being unable to to function normally or deal with the physical pain, and concerned about burdening her family, Brittany moved to Oregon to access their death with dignity law. She died of lethal drugs, prescribed by a physician, in November of 2014. During interviews, her mother and husband both expressed their desire to care for Brittany and have her with them longer. Yet, they were torn between that and their desire to honor her wishes. As a result, she was taken from them earlier.
Before making her decision, Brittany was the recipient of letters and pleas to consider continuing her life. Maggie Karner, a woman with stage 4 brain cancer expressed to Brittany the value of living, even during suffering and deterioration in health. She said, "Brain cancer sucks. But death sucks too. It rips us from the people and the passions that we love the most." Death limits a person's already precious final moments with their families.
She then asks, "what would it say about our society if we encouraged people who are about to jump off a ledge to just go ahead and jump?" We should encourage someone who is suffering, and remind them that their last days on earth are valuable, regardless of if they are spent in pain or an inability to care for themselves. There is value in suffering. There is value and beauty in walking alongside those who are suffering. Physician-assisted suicide would make it impossible for people to demonstrate this in full.
The greatest problem with legalization of physician-assisted suicide is that it redefines a life of dignity as one without suffering. Yet, every life is beautiful, especially those marked by or ended by physical suffering. Suffering does not negate the dignity of a person. We shouldn't encourage viewing illness as humiliating, pitiable, or undignified. There are humbling and traumatic things sometimes associated with terminal illness. It is not an easy thing to deal with by any means. But we should not then justify death as an escape from this physical and emotional pain.
The Death with Dignity movement will only lead us further towards a society which de-emphasizes the importance and value of walking alongside those who are struggling. It would send the message that caring for and supporting those who are struggling is a burden rather than a privilege. We must be wary of that thought process, and demonstrate differently with our actions. We should make continued and increased effort to be consistent with the message that all lives are purposeful regardless of any struggle or limitation.
Through our care for others, we have the unique ability to proclaim the dignity of their life and ascribe to them the value they inherently have. Consider an elderly husband who dutifully and tenderly cares for his wife who cannot feed herself or dress herself any more. Or, the parents of a disabled child who cannot walk or talk. Their love for these people touches the hearts of others because it allows the world to see the value and dignity of those in their care. These caring actions speak to that child, that wife, saying "You are precious."
There is also value and beauty in reaching others through our struggles. Some of the most inspirational people are those who have used their illness or disability to spread hope to others and proclaim how beautiful every life is. Those who are suffering have an incredible platform to reach others and experience a bond with people they might have not had otherwise.
Above all, premature decisions about ending a life cause us to turn away from relying on God's sovereignty and ability to heal. It prevents us from seeing His hand at work through some of the most vulnerable and painful moments that can teach us and others some of the most lasting lessons. It de-sensitizes us to the tragedy and heartbreak of suicide and death in general.
Physician-assisted suicide is a very complex and emotionally charged issue. Yet, at the argument's core, we must remember this: it is always better to fight for a life than to give up on it. Rather than encouraging those with life-threatening illnesses to choose the "easy way out," let's walk alongside them, encourage them, and do whatever we can to help alleviate the struggles of an illness or disability. Let's look for ways to minister to the sick, to appreciate the life we are given while we can, and to continue searching for answers and cures to terminal illnesses.
As Maggie says, "Let's choose life for as long as we've got it."