Advocates Now Turn Attention to the Senate to Urge Final Passage

Corinne Carey, Compassion & Choices’ senior campaign director for New York/New Jersey, terminally ill New Yorkers and advocates applauded the State Assembly following passage of the Medical Aid in Dying Act (A.136/S.138) today. In particular, Carey praised Speaker Carl Heastie for his leadership leading up to the historic vote, and Assemblymember Amy Paulin for her decade-long drive and determination in sponsoring the legislation and working for its passage.

“We’re halfway there to putting the Medical Aid in Dying Act on the Governor’s desk,” Carey said. “For her dogged determination in educating her colleagues and getting the bill over the finish line in the Assembly, Amy Paulin will forever be a champion. As will be Speaker Heastie for his strong leadership in getting us to today.”

“Now, all eyes and all our amazing advocates turn our attention to the Senate,” Carey continued. “We are working with and counting on Senator Hoylman-Sigel to be able to guide this bill to the floor – with the leadership of Leader Stewart-Cousins – and provide final passage of the Medical Aid in Dying Act before sending it to the governor’s desk.” 

Ten states, including New Jersey, Vermont and Maine, as well as Washington, D.C., have authorized medical aid in dying, which allows a terminally ill, mentally capable adult with six months or less to live to request a prescription from their doctor for medication they can take to die peacefully if their pain or suffering becomes too great. Over the last quarter-century, more than one-third of patients requesting the prescription never used it, experiencing great peace of mind simply knowing that the option was available to them.

Assemblymember Amy Paulin (D-Westchester), prime sponsor of the Medical Aid in Dying Act, said: “For a decade, we’ve fought for this compassionate, commonsense legislation, and today, we honor the brave advocates we have lost and fulfill a promise to countless New Yorkers who deserve autonomy, dignity, and peace at life’s end,” said Assemblywoman Paulin. “Passing this bill is about love, compassion, and reducing needless suffering. No one should have to endure agony when there is a better, humane choice available. This is not a political issue—it’s a human issue, and we owe it to New Yorkers to pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act.” 

Dr. Jeremy Boal, former Chief Clinical Officer of the Mount Sinai Health System, who stepped down from that role in late 2023 after learning that he had ALS, said: “As a physician who has cared for many patients with late stage and terminal illnesses, and as a person living with ALS, I am profoundly grateful to Assembly Speaker Heastie and to the Assembly for this momentous vote. This is a vote for compassion, for equity, and for bodily autonomy. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Darren Chervitz, of Riverdale, a young dad with two daughters, who has Stage 3 prostate cancer, said: “I want to thank Speaker Heastie and the Assembly for their courage in passing the Medical Aid in Dying Act after a decade of struggle. Last year, I was diagnosed with aggressive Stage 3 prostate cancer, which forced me to confront what it means to be mortal. For the past six months, I have been in an experimental clinical trial to shrink my tumors, and earlier this month I had surgery to remove my prostate and hopefully rid my body of cancer. But I know there are no guarantees with cancer, as is true with life. And if one day I am facing a diagnosis of a terminal illness, what a comfort it would be to know that medical aid in dying will be an option for me. This bill isn’t about giving up – it’s about giving people the freedom to choose how they face the end, surrounded by love, dignity, and peace. Now, let’s finish the job by getting this bill signed into law and showing the world what it means to honor both life and death.”

Stacey Gibson, of Ossining, witnessed her husband, Sid, die a horrible death after he stopped eating and drinking, said: “Thank you, Speaker Heastie, from the bottom of my heart, for helping me fulfill a promise I made to my dying husband 11 years ago. When my husband and best friend, Sid Gibson, died in 2015 from a debilitating progressive neurological disease, he did not have any legal options to die in a way that was in keeping with his values and wishes. At the end of his life, he instructed me to find a path to ensure that other New Yorkers would not suffer as he had. I promised him I would do so. I have had the privilege of advocating for the Medical Aid in Dying Act for 10 years. I want to express my utmost gratitude to the New York lawmakers for their courage in standing up for this humane option.”

Cassandra Domingos Johnson, of Clifton Park, who is living with breast cancer, said: “As a cancer patient, the only thing that matters to me as a New York citizen right now is having medical aid in dying passed. None of us deserve to suffer a nightmare death when a peaceful option with dignity exists. It’s not a controversial bill, unless you believe that the terminally ill don’t have rights to their own body and shouldn’t be allowed a peaceful death. I thank every single lawmaker who has stood behind this bill from the bottom of my heart. And I shake my head in disbelief that we still have to fight lawmakers for this in 2025 when our neighbors have surpassed us in human rights.”

Melissa Milch, of Amherst, whose father, Dr. Robert Milch, co-founded Hospice Buffalo and advocated for this bill, said: “My father, Dr Robert Milch, was a fierce advocate for end-of-life care and a staunch supporter of medical aid in dying. Before he passed away on June 4, 2021, my son promised him that we would not rest until the Medical Aid in Dying Act was passed in NYS. How I wish he was here to speak with and applaud the NYS Assembly and Speaker Heastie for having the courage to finally bring the bill forward for a vote. In my mind’s eye I can see my dad turning to the Senate and Senate Majority Leader… his look says it all: Do this. Carry on.” 

Nancy Murphy, of Vermontville, NY, who has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer, and watched her sister legally access medical aid in dying law in Vermont, said: “My sister, Joan Kline, died August 9, 2016, using Vermont’s medical aid in dying law.  She believed that people should have choices at the end of life. Our family understood and agreed with her position. On the day she decided, my husband and I, her two sons, daughter, and daughter-in-law, minister, a good friend and a hospice nurse gathered around her. We opened a bottle of champagne and toasted her, each person saying what she had meant to them, and telling her we loved her. She thanked each of us, told us that she loved us. We handed her the medicine, which she drank. As she slowly drifted into a deep sleep, we held her hands and put our hands on her body. She died two hours later. It was so peaceful. As I have recently been diagnosed with cancer, I know I want the same option in my home in New York.”

Jules Netherland, of the Bronx, who is living with Stage 4 cancer, said: “I am a New Yorker who has been living with Stage 4 breast cancer for more than two years. I have incurable metastatic breast cancer. My treatment became palliative rather than curative. I was told the life expectancy of someone like me is, on average, five to seven years. I am two years in and counting. Medical aid in dying isn’t about ending my life, or any life, prematurely. I’ve spent my career working in social justice trying to change policies to improve the health and dignity of people and communities. This is about autonomy. When my time comes, I want the option for a peaceful and beautiful death. Everything about cancer treatment is hard; my death shouldn’t have to be. Thank you Mr. Speaker and all the Assemblymembers who voted for bodily autonomy at the end of life.”

Susan Rahn, of Webster, who has been living with metastatic breast cancer for 12 years, said: “I’m a terminally ill New Yorker. I’ve been living with incurable breast cancer since 2013. I don’t want to die. I want to live. I’ve been supporting the Medical Aid in Dying Act for over 10 years. Thank you to the New York State Assembly and Speaker Heastie for supporting this bill.”

Kate Sanford, of Accord, NY, whose son, Benjamin, died of cancer while suffering greatly, said: “To the lawmakers and tireless supporters fighting to pass this bill, thank you. I’ve seen the desperate need first-hand, when my adult son Benjamin was dying of cancer and suffering, he desperately wanted this choice to give him peace of mind and to end his life with dignity, with his loved ones by his side. I have been proudly advocating for this bill in his honor. I hope other patients and families can take comfort when this bill passes, knowing there is a humane path if they choose.”  

Barb Thomas, of Saratoga Springs, whose husband was terminally ill with brain cancer and asked her to shoot him, rather than let him suffer, said: “As the League of Women Voters point person on this issue I’m overjoyed that Medical Aid in Dying has finally passed in the Assembly – and my husband, Bob Thomas, who wanted me to shoot him to put him out of the misery caused by his incurable brain cancer, would have applauded Speaker Heastie for moving this issue forward.”

Arelis Torres, of the Bronx, whose wife, currently in remission from cancer, said, “My wife bravely fought cancer undergoing an aggressive treatment. If the cancer returns, she likely will not seek treatment to combat it. I don’t want her to suffer and endure immeasurable pain as she waits for the moment of inevitable death. I believe in quality of life. Supporting her in her wishes is the greatest show of love and respect for her individuality and decision-making. Dying with peace and dignity from a terminal illness should be a right we all have. Thank you, Speaker Heastie and Assembly members, for your compassionate and courageous vote for choice and body autonomy.  It’s now time for the Senate and Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins to take a stand in support of terminally ill New Yorkers.” 

Lindsay Wright, of Manhattan, whose husband, Youssef Cohen, died a painful death while unsuccessfully seeking the option of medical aid in dying, said: “In 2016, my late husband, Youssef Cohen, became the first public advocate for Medical Aid in Dying in New York. He was passionate about giving terminally ill New Yorkers a choice to end their lives without suffering. I’ve been telling Youssef’s story to legislators for nine years to persuade them to pass this act, and today I’m grateful those efforts finally paid off.”

Monona Yin, of Brooklyn, whose mother, Fay, died suffering and recorded an incredible video about why she wanted the option, said: “My mother Fay Hoh Yin advocated for medical-aid-in-dying during the last year of her life. It was that important to her. She loved life and fought cancer courageously for six years. But she also wanted the peace of mind of knowing that she could end her suffering if it became too great. Mom would be thrilled that New Yorkers are one step closer to gaining that peace of mind.”

The Medical Aid in Dying Act is supported by numerous advocacy groups in the state, including:

1 in 9 LI Breast Cancer Action Coalition

Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester

Catholic Vote Common Good

Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC)

Harlem United

Indivisible Westchester

Latino Commission on AIDS

Latinos for Healthcare Equity

League of Women Voters of NYS

Medical Society of State of NY (MSSNY)

New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU)

NYS Bar Association

NYS Council of Churches

NYS Nurses Association (NYSNA)

NYS Psychiatric Association

NYS Public Health Association NOW-NY

Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts

SAGE NY (Services for LGBT elders)

StateWide Senior Action Council

Westchester Coalition for Legal Abortion

WESPAC Foundation

Women’s Bar Assn. of NYS

More information on medical aid in dying and the New York campaign can be found on Compassion & Choices’ website, Facebook or Twitter.

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