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Medical Aid-in-Dying

There is discussion in the upcoming legislative cycle to provide the right of mentally sound adults with incurable, terminal illnesses to have the legal option to ask a physician to prescribe aid-in-dying medication to end their suffering. This is something I will strongly support and will co-sponsor.

People shouldn’t have to travel to another state to get the medication they seek in order to die without pain, accompanied with their families. In a related issue of health justice, women have shown the harm that comes with having to travel to a state just to get an abortion because politicians have criminalized medical care in their home state.

In a similar way, Massachusetts should not be preventing access to care through medical aid-in-dying. This issue is very personal for many Cape Ann residents, including me. Some dear friends of mine had to leave their friends, loved ones, and home here in our community and move to New Mexico to be able to pass with dignity and in peace. It was not right that they had to do that and I will fight so that no one else in our state will have to face such unjust treatment when what they needed was compassion.

Compassion and Choices

Mass. Joint Committee on Public Health Advances Medical Aid-in-Dying Bill