Written into Death with Dignity laws is the requirement the state's Health Department must issue annual reports of information collected during the medication request process.

Oregon's Public Health Division recently issued their 15th annual report, and consistent with all previous years, the data continue to show the law works the way it's intended: rarely used, but providing comfort to countless individuals who know they have options at the end of their lives.

Some quick facts about the usage of Oregon's law in 2012:

• 77 people hastened their deaths under the Oregon law.
• This accounts for 0.2% of all deaths in Oregon.
• The top three concerns people expressed to their doctors when requesting the medication were centered around wanting control over their final days.
• Of the end-of-life concerns expressed, the least common was "financial implications of treatment."

The numbers also show people who request the medication under Oregon's law are receiving high quality end-of-life care:

The pundits are out and about this time of year making various predictions about 2013, and the forecasting provides for fascinating reading. You'd think we'd have learned something after the Mayan apocalypse failed to occur. Right now, we're being told the price of gas will plummet in 2013; Nate Silver will become the model for all polling conducted for media outlets; Fidel Castro will die; Americans will pay more taxes and more for healthcare; and Lincoln will win best picture at the Oscars. We're gobbling up predictions faster than your uncle's attack on the pile of Christmas cookies.

So, here are my predictions for 2013:

The holiday season is always abustle with people rushing here and there to gather presents to exchange. I too get swept up in the excitement of finding or making the perfect gift for those around me, but at times the idea of all the stuff being wrapped up in pretty paper and ribbons to create mountains of sparkle under trees gets to be a bit much for me. Perhaps it does for you too.

What if we were to work together to Give the Gift of Dignity this holiday season instead? 'Cause do you really need that Pi ice cube tray? Or would you rather join me in asking for gifts to our favorite nonprofit instead?

Donations to the Death with Dignity National Center give all year long. 2012 was an amazing year for elevating the conversation about these important laws with the voter ballot initiative in Massachusetts and the Vermont Senate debate about assisted death. The Death with Dignity National Center has been a dedicated partner for these efforts the entire time.