In January 2021, I sent a letter to all lawmakers in Massachusetts telling them about the difficult death my mother went through even though she had excellent hospice care.
My mom was diagnosed with ALS in May 2019 and was told she had about a year to live. She did not want to die at the hands of this terrible disease, so she chose to go to a hospice to convey her conditions in early 2020. At that time, she wanted to have the option of Death with Dignity.
My mother chose to stop eating and drinking while she was heavily medicated at the hospice. The hospice did a great job in making their end of life as painless as possible, but it is by no means the best way for someone with a terminal illness to cope. It took her a full two weeks to pass while we were sitting next to her. It was hard for her to go through that, and it was hard for us to watch.
As good as the hospice is, it is not a way for someone to go through painlessly and peacefully.
In my letter to state legislators, I asked them to support the Death with Dignity Bill titled The End of Life Options Act (H.2381, S.1384).
I am grateful that 66 Members of Parliament and 18 Senators are co-sponsors of this bill, including Representatives Josh Cutler (Pembroke), Michelle Dubois (Brockton), Tommy Vitolo (Brookline) and William Galvin (Township).
I also testified virtually at the October 1 public hearing held by the Public Health Committee. He passed this same bill in May 2020 in the last legislature, but he did not advance any further.
I hope the Public Health Committee will pass it again this year – as soon as possible – so that it can be voted on and adopted by the entire Legislative Assembly before the legislative session ends on July 31, 2022. .
My mother wished this end of life option was legal and available to her as in 10 other states (Maine, Vermont, New Jersey, etc.) plus Washington DC. Many terminally ill patients in Massachusetts would like to have access to it now.
Join me in contacting your lawmakers at malegislature.gov/search/findmylegislator. Urge them to contact the co-chairs and members of the Public Health Committee and ask them to pass this bill as soon as possible, allowing people this compassionate option. Then reach out to people you know across the state and urge them to take similar action.
By working together, we can have this option, Death with Dignity, available to all of us.
Lisa Rooney is a resident of Duxbury.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Death with Dignity Bill is titled The End of Life Options Act