WHYY: Medication assisted suicide gets broad support in Delaware poll
Mar 11, 2020 Delaware Delaware End of Life Options Act
An excerpt from WHYY public radio article, “Medication assisted suicide gets broad support in Delaware poll,” published March 11, 2020:
New Jersey and Maine became the eighth and ninth states to allow people with terminal illnesses to end their lives with medical help in 2019. Now, lawmakers in Delaware are hoping a new poll showing broad support for a similar measure will translate into legislation in the First State this year.
The poll of 780 likely Delaware voters found 72% supported a bill allowing doctors to prescribe lethal medication to terminally ill patients. The poll was commissioned by the national advocacy group Compassion & Choices, and conducted by Washington, D.C.-based GBAO Strategies.
The poll showed a broad level of support throughout the state and across political parties.
“I am delighted to see that Delawareans are so strongly supportive of this bill,” said Judy Govatos, a Wilmington resident with stage 4 lymphoma that’s spread to her bone marrow who has advocated in favor of the legislation. “I can deal with death, we’re all going to die, but I don’t see that either I or anybody else should have to suffer in order to die.”
Her support for what advocates call “medical aid in dying” doesn’t come lightly. Govatos has been through multiple surgeries, two rounds of chemotherapy and all the side effects that causes.
“My life and how I will live my life and my death depends on whether we get this bill passed or not,” she said.
