Letters: Avoiding agonising death

F.R. Halpin (Letters, May 27), believes those who are facing "supposed difficulties" at the end of their lives and contemplate assisted dying will be sending a message to their family that suicide is okay.

I assume that "supposed difficulties" refers to the cruel, pain-stricken, unrelievable deaths that most people fear, and which palliative care is unable to relieve for at least 6 per cent of those in hospice care (Palliative Care Australia's own report).

It seems to me to be entirely rational to want to avoid an agonising death at the end of our lives. At present, we deny people this human right, preferring to see them suffer until the bitter end or take matters into their own hands by violent means — that is, actual "suicide".

Suicide is a brutal act, undertaken out of desperation at a time of great mental anguish. I fail to see how this equates to a well-managed, peaceful death when the end is imminent, surrounded by loving family.

We need to change our attitude towards death and dying and discuss this openly with family and friends. I know mine can differentiate between assisted dying and suicide and would demonstrate real compassion by respecting my choice.

HELEN CARTMELL
Silverstream, Upper Hutt

Scared of death

The vocal minority opposed to euthanasia are, in my opinion, scared of death. They believe in heaven and hell and are not too sure where they are going.

My aunt, a staunch Christian, 97 years, a retired hospital matron, was anti-euthanasia until her last months, when she changed her mind.

The opponents of euthanasia appear to be the same people who would prosecute you if you did not put down an ailing animal. Hospice staff have a vested interest — their jobs — so not too much weight should be put on their opinions.

They have the tools to prolong life, even when not viable, and do so on occasions.

G.R. SCOWN
Whanganui

Push for dignified death

In whatever complicated way you spin the end-of-life choice story, F.R. Halpin (letters, May 20), the facts are that:

■Eighteen countries and states all over the world now have legislation allowing terminally ill people to have a peaceful and dignified death if they so wish

■One in five Americans currently have access to end-of-life choice legislation, with another 18 US States in the process of passing such bills

■None of those countries or states have abolished these laws once they were introduced

■Twenty-five per cent of our Australian friends soon have end of life choice legislation

■UK's latest poll show 90 per cent of people in support, with polls in Scotland and Ireland not far behind

■In Aotearoa/ NZ Horizon Research (April 2019) showed overall support for legislation providing a choice at the end of life is 74 per cent (80 per cent Maori, 79 per cent Pasifika, 72 per cent Pakeha), with 18 per cent opposed

■Western Australia's latest suicide statistics show that 8 per cent of suicides are committed by people who have a terminal illness, "just in time" to avoid them being unable to do this at a later stage. No such statistics are available in Aotearoa/ NZ

■Numbers have been and remain very small and vary in the different countries depending on their legislation: Between 0.5 and 4.4 per cent of all deaths, 75 per cent of patients suffering from terminal cancers.

Yes, these wise governments have decided it is time for terminally ill patients to be allowed "out of the closet" and be cared for in a compassionate and kind manner.

I am looking forward for our elected representatives to move our End of Life Choice Bill through the second reading so that finally the content of the bill can be discussed in the Committee of the whole House of Parliament.

ALIDA VAN DER VELDE
Waikanae

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