It’s likely we all experienced some form of loss this year: cherished gatherings and celebrations canceled, graduations deferred, and, tragically, loved ones gone too soon. Yet in the midst of grief, there were moments of hope and accomplishments worth celebrating. In this Year in Review, we recap our legislative efforts, commemorate significant anniversaries, spotlight new tools … Continued
Campaigns aren’t won overnight. Successful policy reform efforts require sustained organizing, strategy, and dedication—and the resources to support local leaders for the long haul. Death with Dignity has a longstanding commitment to supporting advocates at the grassroots, and we are pleased to announce awards from the Dignity50 Grant Fund to help local organizations grow their … Continued
This week, we reflect on two significant anniversaries in the death with dignity movement. It has been four years since California’s End of Life Option Act took effect, and a year since Governor Janet Mills signed the Maine Death with Dignity Act into law. Both assisted dying statutes were results of multi-decade campaigns and personal stories. California End of … Continued
On February 6, Death with Dignity National Center Executive Director Peg Sandeen delivered the “State of the Death with Dignity Movement” address. Below is a video of the webcast as well as a written summary of her remarks. Three States in 15 Months We live in an unprecedented time for assisted dying. The death with … Continued
This has been a year full of milestones. For the first time, two states—Maine and New Jersey—passed death with dignity laws in a single year, joining seven other states and Washington, D.C. in making medical aid in dying available to patients with terminal illness. Our victory in Maine, many years in the making, could not have happened without … Continued
Update: the Maine Death with Dignity Act passed in 2019. Cayla Miller is a mother and library events coordinator in Belfast, Maine. My mom, Eva Thompson, didn’t want to die. My mom was dying from metastatic colon cancer. There is an essential and fundamental difference. In my selfish love for her I wanted to steal every second … Continued
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of implementation of the Oregon Death with Dignity Act, we are featuring stories of those who in 1997 campaigned against the repeal of the law adopted by Oregon voters 3 years before. Today we are featuring an interview with Ann Jackson, who was president of the Oregon Hospice Association from 1988-2008. It is … Continued