‘Aid in dying’ bill is about me’

Why is it so hard to pass a bill that lets people decide for themselves about their end-of-life care?

To the editor,

This ‘aid in dying’ bill is about me: I am a patient with a life-limiting diagnosis. A year ago, I was diagnosed with late-stage Fallopian tube cancer, my third cancer diagnosis. Time is running short for me too and I do want this bill to make it out of committee this year.

In 2021, Connecticut’s aid-in-dying bill passed the Public Health Committee, but when referred to the Judiciary Committee it died. State Rep. Steve Stafstrom, co-chair of the Judiciary Committee, said there “wasn’t enough support to bring it to a vote” and it’s starting to look like that might happen again. Seriously?

Why is it so hard to pass a bill that lets people decide for themselves about their end-of-life care? In 1997 Oregon became the first state to pass a Death With Dignity Act and polls have consistently shown widespread support for medical aid in dying among Connecticut voters in all demographics including younger people (80 percent), older people (73 percent), Catholics (69 percent), Protestants (70 percent), those with no religious affiliation (89 percent), white men and women (77 percent), people of color (72 percent) and people who have a disability (65 percent).

The Connecticut State Medical Society has a stated position of “engaged neutrality” and the AMA has acknowledged that providing medical-aid-indying in no way violates the Code of Medical Ethics. So, what’s the problem? Are our legislators voting their personal beliefs, rather than representing the people who elected them?

My choices may not be what others would want given similar circumstances, but they are mine, personal, private, precious, and sacred.

Lynda Shannon

Bridgeport