A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
Opinion
In response to Craig Young's questions (GH, July 18), I can state that in Oregon in particular, where they have had a Dignity in Dying Law since 1997, palliative care has not suffered — in fact it has improved, with 90.2 percent of people applying under their law being under
palliative care (2019 Annual Report).
Dr David Grube, a GP in a small town in Oregon for 35 years before retiring, stated in a video interview when asked “Can palliative care relieve all end of life suffering?” that:
“This Voluntary Assisted Dying is a component of palliative care in Oregon, it's just a part of the process, it's not other, it's not different. It's an option, something to talk about, very few choose it. However, the benefit of VAD for palliative care programmes is that just talking about VAD is palliative in and of itself. Just having that full conversation about all choices at the end of life is relieving.”
He continues: “Palliative care is really wonderful. Sadly, not a 100 percent of the time can palliative teams relieve terminal suffering, and that's the enemy here — the terminal suffering. The suffering at the very end of life, as the patient defines, that is not solved by any of the things that we and our wonderful palliative care doctors can do.”
And perhaps you need to ask who would be the expert here on people dying, Ken Orr or this doctor who has been with his patients until the end, whether by their Dignity in Dying Law or naturally?
