Compassion & Choices Releases Compelling Reasons #8-11 in Campaign to "Pass Medical Aid in Dying NOW"

Feb 14, 2020 50 Reasons New York New York Medical Aid in Dying Act

"Fay Hoh Yin and her daughter Monona are strong, brave and extraordinarily determined. They are quintessential New Yorkers. Fay doesn't want to suffer needlessly at life's inevitable end. Fay and Monona are urging New York lawmakers to pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act to provide terminally ill adults with the option to get prescription medication they can take to die peacefully," said Compassion & Choices Senior New York Campaign Director Corinne Carey.

"Fay gave lawmakers the 10th of 50 reasons to pass the bill, and you can see Fay and Monona (who lobbied two dozen legislators when in Albany on Wednesday) in a new video," Carey said. The 3-minute version of the video can be seen here, and the 90-second version can be seen here.

"Every session day between now and June 2 - unless the Legislature passes the Medical Aid in Dying Act before then - we will release another compelling reason," Carey said. "This week, in addition to Fay, we heard from a priest, who is also a certified medical examiner and college professor; a Hudson Valley woman whose partner asked her to shoot him because he was in so much pain; and a Bronx man who changed his mind about medical aid in dying and now supports it after witnessing the agonizingly painful death of his brother, who was a Marine."

  • The 8th Reason to support New York's Medical Aid in Dying Act comes from New York City resident Father Luis Barrios, a priest, certified medical examiner and college professor. Father Barrios said: "As a priest, I have been blessed to counsel many New Yorkers as they prepare for the end of their lives. I sat by their bedside as they begged for help to die. It is the memory of these people that has helped me to lend my voice to help authorize the practice of medical aid in dying." Father Barrios says the Legislature should pass this bill so that everyone can die in a way that's consistent with their own faith, values and beliefs.
  • The 9th Reason to support New York's Medical Aid in Dying Act comes from Poughkeepsie resident Janet Green. Janet, who watched Harry, her partner of 26 years, die in severe pain, said: "Hospice came to our home to provide support for me and pain medication for Harry. It was not enough. His pain often broke through and became unbearable, and I could do nothing to ease his suffering. He kept saying, 'Please help me.' It was agonizing to watch the man I love suffer so much." Janet says the Legislature should pass this bill so that no one has to stand by helplessly as their husband repeatedly pleads: help me die.
  • The 10th Reason to support New York's Medical Aid in Dying Act comes from Brooklyn resident Fay Hoh Yin, whose has been battling incurable T-cell lymphoma since 2014. She says "To me, even if I had a medical aid-in-dying prescription, I would consider it as just a form of insurance, so I can ensure I die peacefully. I may or may not take it, depending upon if my suffering becomes unbearable at the end of my life." Fay says the Legislature should pass this bill because giving me the option of medical aid in dying would free me to spend all my remaining energy just living, knowing that I would not end up in a dark hole of suffering.
  • The 11th Reason to support New York's Medical Aid in Dying Act comes from Bronx resident Anthony Randolph. Anthony changed his mind about medical aid in dying after witnessing the death of his brother, James, a Marine. Anthony said: "I understand why people oppose medical aid in dying. I was one of them. But I ask you to spend 24 hours with someone who is dying and suffering. There's no way you're going to see all that and not support the option of medical aid in dying." Anthony says the Legislature should pass this bill so that no one has to watch their strong former Marine brother wither away in a hospital bed and suffer needlessly at the end of life.

New York's Medical Aid in Dying Act (A.2694/S.3947) with 57 legislative sponsors, including the chairs of both the Assembly and Senate Health committees, is supported by: New York State Academy of Family Physicians, League of Women Voters of New York State, New York Civil Liberties Union, New York State Public Health Association, StateWide Senior Action Council, Gay Men's Health Crisis, Harlem United, Latino Commission on AIDS, Latinos for Healthcare Equity, among many others.

To read the full stories behind Reasons 1-11, click here.