from our blog: living with dying |
Media Attention on DWD Signals Cultural Shift
One measure of success for the Death with Dignity movement is the relative frequency with which the issue is depicted in movies and television. This shift indicates that the issue is important or relevant to the entire population.
Currently, three movies about the Death with Dignity movement have surfaced. A documentary about the 2008 Washington Death with Dignity campaign entitled The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner was nominated for an Oscar in the Documentary Short category. The movie follows the campaign struggles of Booth Gardner and the Yes on I-1000 campaign staff as they mounted a successful initiative campaign.
HBO Films is set to release You Don’t Know Jack in April, 2010, a film chronicling the life of Jack Kevorkian. You Don’t Know Jack tells the Kevorkian story, from building his infamous “death machine” to the sensational court trials. Kevorkian will be played by Academy Award winning actor, Al Pacino. The movie also stars Academy Award winning actress Susan Sarandon, and is directed by Barry Levinson, an Academy Award winning director. See the trailer.
The popular PBS series, Frontline, aired a story on March 2, 2010, about a man living in England with Lou Gehrig’s disease (also known as ALS) who travelled to Switzerland for assisted death through the organization Dignitas. Switzerland is the only governmental jurisdiction in the world to allow non-citizens to participate under state-sanctioned rules allowing physician-hastened death. The Frontline piece, entitled The Suicide Tourist, tells the story of Craig Ewert’s life and death, including a discussion of family, morality, and disease. We interviewed Craig’s wife, Mary, and, she reiterated Craig’s observation at the beginning of the film: “If somebody wants to take their own life, obviously they feel a reason for that, at that point in time. You may not think it is a good reason. I may not think it is a good reason. But you know what? It is that person’s life.” Watch The Suicide Tourist in its entirety.
As our population ages and as medical technology advances, more individuals and their family members will experience the tragedies associated with prolonged dying experiences. Laws and policies are changing around the world to address this social problem, and as laws change, culture changes. Similarly, as culture changes, so will laws.
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You are the key to ensuring well-crafted Death with Dignity laws for all Americans. With your financial and volunteer help, the Death with Dignity National Center, a 501(c)(3), non-partisan, non-profit organization, has been the leading advocate in the death with dignity movement. Member contributions helped us pass a new Death with Dignity law in Washington, defend the Oregon law, and provide education and outreach programs for the vitality of the death with dignity movement.
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About Death with Dignity
The greatest human freedom is to live, and die, according to one's own desires and beliefs. From advance directives to physician-assisted dying, death with dignity is a movement to provide options for the dying to control their own end-of-life care.
Death with Dignity National Center is the leader in this movement, successfully establishing, advancing and defending the landmark Oregon and Washington Death with Dignity Acts.
Political Action Fund
The Death with Dignity National Center partners with the Oregon Death with Dignity Political Action Fund to conduct lobbying and political activities in order to achieve the enactment of Death with Dignity laws in other states.
Learn more about the Oregon Death with Dignity Political Action Fund.
Patients & Families
The Death with Dignity National Center was formed out of a profound commitment to the idea that personal end-of-life decisions should be made solely between a patient and a physician. We are pleased to provide you with support and information as you face the difficult challenges ahead.
Research Center
We have compiled a comprehensive collection of legal briefs, journal articles, and newspaper clippings. We invite you to explore the wide array of information we have collected throughout our history.
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