Festival showing of documentary “Addicted to Life” also coincides with the 25th anniversary of Oregon’s Death With Dignity law
(Portland, OR – October 14, 2022) Attendees at this year’s Portland Film Festival have the opportunity to hear in person from two of the nation’s leading advocates for person-directed end-of-life healthcare, including the compassionate practice of medical aid in dying.
On Friday, October 21 at 3pm, festival goers can be part of a conversation with end-of-life rights advocates Barbara Coombs Lee and Dan Diaz in a session entitled “TRAILBLAZERS: Death with Dignity Perspectives.” The discussion will be in advance of the next day’s showing of the documentary “Addicted to Life” happening on Saturday, October 22nd at 6:45pm.
Barbara Coombs Lee is president emerita and senior adviser for the national advocacy organization Compassion & Choices. She is also a former family nurse practitioner and attorney, and one of the authors of Oregon’s Death with Dignity Law. Dan Diaz is a nationally recognized advocate for medical aid in dying, whose wife Brittany Maynard made national headlines in 2014 when she chose to move to Oregon to utilize the state’s medical aid in dying law when she was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer at the age of 29. They will be joined by Canadian end-of-life-options physician, Dr. Stefanie Green.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the implementation of Oregon’s Death with Dignity Law. Oregon was the first state in the nation to authorize this compassionate medical practice, which allows a terminally ill, mentally competent adult with six months or less to live to request a prescription from their medical practitioner that they can ingest to die peacefully on their own terms.
Since Oregon’s law was enacted, nine other states plus Washington, DC have authorized the option of medical aid in dying, meaning that one out of five Americans can access this care.
“Addicted to LIfe” tells the story of Belgian Paralympic champion Marieke Vervoort and her decisions regarding her healthcare and choices after being diagnosed with a debilitating and terminal illness.
For more information or to purchase tickets for this screening and discussion, visit portlandfilm.org.
Compassion & Choices
Media Contacts
Michael Cavaiola
National Director of Marketing & Communications
[email protected]
Phone: (480) 622 4427
Patricia A. González-Portillo
Senior National Latino Media Director
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(323) 819 0310
Mail contributions directly to:
Compassion & Choices Gift Processing Center
PO Box 485
Etna, NH 03750
