Value of life lost in assisted death issue

Re: We are all complicit, Column, April 19

I felt so relieved when I read Andrew Coyne’s column. I agree that Canadians are “just as entitled to decide not” to simply accept the normalizing of suicide. Coyne’s argument that assisted suicide creates “an unmistakable message ... some lives are not worth living,” and promotes a “fundamental change” in our attitudes toward the value of life, echoes the concern in my heart for our nation.

As a former home support worker who cared for many suffering people, I have seen the indignity of incontinence and dementia and the beauty of living through it and still being human. As a person healing from depression and suicide attempts, I know the value of medical professionals fighting for my value and my life and encouraging me to find meaning in suffering, while at the same time providing comfort. Health professionals need support in doing what they do best: giving people the tools to live life well through every stage and season, and advocating for each person’s inherent value. Melody Conchie, New Westminster

My father died from a neurological disorder similar to ALS. He was a marathon runner and outdoorsman who gradually lost the ability to move, speak, and eventually swallow, although his mind was clear. He was afraid, but he did not ask his family or doctor to hasten his death. He bore his decline with courage and stoicism. . In these ways, he maintained his dignity. By legalizing assisted suicide, how many more aged relatives are going to be given the impression that it is “time to go; you have overstayed your welcome?” This robs people of their dignity more than any disease could. Naomi McDonnell, Maple Ridge