Nathan Friedland, a nurse at the Montreal Children's Hospital says that Bill 52 causes him, and many like him, sleepless nights. In an article for The Gazette ("Courageous teen's death has something to teach us"), he relates the story of a teenager's last few weeks.
Friedland describes moments in time, snapshots of a dying cancer patient's life, and that of his family. What strikes me most about this is how the boy was accompanied, with love, to the end.
Friedland states:
"Somehow, through this young man's death, everyone on my ward, from housekeepers to physiotherapists, from unit coordinators to neurosurgeons, learned that dying is just as important as living. We will always remember him and the boundless courage both he and his family showed us."
Here is a lesson about dying with dignity, about love, about life. Euthanasia would have robbed every one of these precious, life affirming moments.
Let's ensure we don't make that mistake in Quebec. Let's say no to Bill 52 and the legalisation of "medical aid in dying", euthanasia by another name.
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2014