Oldsailor65 Loc: Iowa

Family charges doctors tried to pressure relative into euthanasia Physicians 'can and do' suggest patients take final course
WND News Services By WND News Services
Published July 3, 2021 at 3:36pm

By Cassie Fiano-Chesser
Live Action

A Canadian couple is speaking out about how their elderly family member was pressured to be euthanized while battling cancer. Joan Rohoway, 84, was receiving care through the Fraser Health Authority in Canada, but her daughter and son-in-law say doctors coerced her into agreeing to be euthanized instead.

In May, Rohoway was a patient in the cancer and palliative-care wards at Surrey Memorial Hospital. Alain Seguin, Rohoway’s son-in-law, told the B.C. Catholic she was visited by an oncologist while she was heavily medicated to discuss the Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD) program in Canada. Seguin alleges that the doctor waited until she was alone and vulnerable to bring up the controversial topic. Rohoway’s daughter, Pamela, said that when Rohoway asked what her treatment options were, the doctor told her there were none, and to consider euthanasia instead. The doctor then said Rohoway agreed to die.

“I was aghast, I was angry,” Alain said of Rohoway agreeing to be euthanized. “It was done so underhandedly. To me, [the subterfuge] was intentional. The way they handled it was poor, where the doctor went ahead and put the idea in my mother-in-law’s head.” According to Alain, their family is staunchly pro-life and opposes any manner of taking life — from abortion to capital punishment. “I was raised a Catholic and was raised to believe you’re given life by God,” he said. “And the only person who has the right to take that life is God.”

After Alain and Pamela complained, a nurse and social worker said Rohoway had requested euthanasia three times. Even after Rohoway’s family brought her home for palliative care, the declaration remained. But when two FHA health care workers visited, Pamela said she and Alain were threatened that if they continued to oppose Rohoway’s euthanization, FHA would file to obtain legal guardianship of Rohoway.

Finally, two new workers arrived, who asked Rohoway if she wanted to die. “She said, ‘Absolutely not, I want to stay here,’” Pamela recalled. “The two then said, ‘OK.’” The damage, however, has been done. “[T]he level of trust we have with Fraser Health is about zero,” Alain said, as Pamela added, “They are just writing her off.”

As the B.C. Catholic reported, “Fraser Health’s official policy on medical assistance in dying (MAiD) is that it is supposed to be an ‘entirely patient-driven’ process. Yet the evidence, such as that of the case of Joan Rohoway, suggests doctors can and do lead euthanasia-related discussions.”

Should doctors try to pressure relatives into euthanasia?
2% (2 Votes)
98% (119 Votes)
Canada has been rapidly expanding its MAiD program in recent years, even as vulnerable groups fight against it. And Rohoway is far from the first person to allege being pressured into euthanasia; Roger Foley likewise said he was denied basic health care and threatened with euthanasia if he continued to stay in the hospital. Catalina Devandas Aguilar, a lawyer from Costa Rica and the United Nation’s first Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, likewise found multiple instances of people with disabilities who were pressured into euthanasia.

https://www.wnd.com/2021/07/family-charges-doctors-tried-pressure-relative-euthanasia/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=wnd-breaking&utm_campaign=breaking&utm_content=breaking&ats_es=8fb799e06563a601f50b5fdaf395b859

woodguru

I read about where a 40 year old man who had had an opportunity to get vaccinated got covid, he was in the hospital for five months and had to have both lungs transplanted. Considering the money this had to have cost, and I guarantee you no healthcare company would have even considered going there, unless he had deep enough resources to cover the seven figures euthanasia or letting him go should be an option.

We should not be stuck with hundreds of thousands in hospital care for people that don't want to be vaccinated.

woodguru

And who else is qualified to counsel people or family of those with terminal illnesses? It is a disease that often has a sensible time to go before it gets ridiculous in different ways.

archie bunker Loc: Texas

The article said it was a cancer, not a COVID thing there, Richard.
Is your old, crippled self ready to die? Do you want the Government, and it's own healthcare system telling you when you're done?

American Vet

Doctors (and all health care professionals in the US) have an obligation to present information to the patient about the disease prognosis, possible treatments available to the patient, and possible outcomes. Possible treatments includes legal options for managing disease/pain. Because of this, in places where it is legal, euthanasia is one of the options. Offering this is not 'pressure'.

Having family present is at the option of the patient. However, families can (and do) 'pressure' patients to select courses of action that the patient may not really want but accept because of the pressure from family members.

Just some things to think about regarding this topic.

Oldsailor65 Loc: Iowa

I am 77 years old and I have signed a form saying that when I can't take care of myself...I don't want to be kept around. I would much rather go to sleep peacefully from an injection than die after being in pain for maybe months.

Dinty

I am 94 years old, and feel the same way.

American Vet

Unfortunately that is not a legal alternative except:
**8 states (CA, CO, HI, ME, NJ, OR, VT, WA, and DC) have legalized physician-assisted suicide via legislation
**1 state (MT) has legal physician-assisted suicide via court ruling

archie bunker Loc: Texas

94? God Bless Ya!!