MD showed compassion in assisted death

Re: “Island MD, citing low fee, halts assisted dying,” July 6. On May 24, I had the privilege of being present when my 95-year-old aunt chose medically assisted death. Dr. Stefanie Green was the wonderful doctor who enabled my aunt to choose how, when and where she died.

In advance, Green visited and interviewed my aunt, listening compassionately to her desire to end her life before her pulmonary fibrosis robbed her of even more strength and freedom than it already had. Green then reviewed my aunt’s considerable medical files, and consulted with my aunt’s GP and respirologist before notifying my aunt of her approval.

A June date was discussed, but over the Victoria Day weekend my aunt’s condition deteriorated. Despite it being a holiday weekend, Green responded to all my emails within 10 minutes. My aunt chose May 31, but then shifted it to the May 24 time offered by Green, who kept assuring us she would adjust her schedule to assist my aunt.

Green’s compassion that day, which my aunt described as a “wonderful release,” eased a difficult situation. I had no idea what Green was paid for all the time involved in assisting my aunt, but it was worth so much more than the flat fee described in your article.

On an economic level, it kept my aunt from an expensive and likely grim hospital stay at the end of her life. On a human level, physicians provide the incalculable benefit to the terminally ill of control over their deaths.

These doctors’ valuable and compassionate work should be recognized and remunerated accordingly.