Letter: Vote yes on Prop 106 - #lakewoodnews

I am a Colorado native, Golden High School, class of '98, who was diagnosed with brain cancer in the spring of 2015, at the age of 35.

In November, Colorado voters will have the opportunity to vote for Proposition 106, which would legalize the practice of medical aid in dying. I personally don't know whether I would take the option to exercise medical aid in dying, and hope that my fight proves successful so that I'm never confronted with that decision. But knowing that dying from brain cancer can be an agonizing and painful death, simply having the option would bring me a tremendous amount of peace and comfort now, while I continue my fight.

Medical aid in dying, also known as death with dignity, allows a terminally ill, mentally capable person with a life expectancy prognosis of six months or less to request, obtain and - if his or her suffering becomes unbearable - self-administer medication that shortens the dying process and brings about a peaceful death.

The opposition won't simply come out and say: "We want to impose our beliefs on others." Rather, they will twist and distort aspects of Proposition 106 to claim that it is flawed.

Don't be misled! Proposition 106 is modeled after the 1997 Oregon Death with Dignity Act, and includes all the same safeguards and protections. In Oregon's nearly 20-year experience with medical aid in dying, there has been no single instance of proven abuse, misuse, exploitation or coercion. Medical aid in dying is also authorized in four additional states - Washington, Vermont, Montana and California.

The stakes are high. If the opposition is successful in misleading the people of Colorado and Proposition 106 is defeated, the opportunity to give Coloradans the choice to limit their suffering is unlikely to come around again anytime soon. And for Coloradans facing a terminal illness now, this is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Matt Larson,

Denver

 

 

from Lakewood Sentinel - Latest Stories http://lakewoodsentinel.com/stories/Letter-Vote-yes-on-Prop-106,238110