Diane Coleman, Fierce Foe of the Right-to-Die Movement, Dies at 71

Photos in linked article:    https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/20/us/diane-coleman-dead.html

Her fight for disability rights included founding a group called Not Dead Yet, which protested the work of Dr. Jack Kevorkian and others.

By Clay Risen

Published Nov. 20, 2024, updated Nov. 21, 2024

Diane Coleman, a fierce advocate for disability rights who took on Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the right-to-die movement and the U.S. health care system, which she charged was responsible for devaluing the lives of Americans like her with physical and mental impairments, died on Nov. 1 at her home in Rochester, N.Y. She was 71.

Others Dictated For Her

My friend Gail Bell wrote this letter about her mother.  Margaret Dore

http://missoulian.com/news/opinion/mailbag/mother-s-death-provided-painful-personal-example-of-need-to/article_3c8a1d98-1a9c-11e4-bb8e-001a4bcf887a.html

The July 25 guest column by Sara Myers and Dustin Hankinson begins with a discussion of pain, “great pain,” specifically. The paragraph goes on to use the phrase “great pain” to justify “death with dignity,” meaning assisted suicide and euthanasia.

With their column, I couldn’t help but think of my mother’s last years and the decision of others that it was time for her to die. Pain was used as a justification for increases in her medication – to get the job done. This happened three times before she finally died in the hospital on Sept. 6, 2010. The coroner’s report, case No. 100906, lists the cause of death as congestive heart failure with oxygen deprivation and “fentanyl therapy.” The manner of death is listed as “accident.”

Fentanyl is reported “to be 80 to 200 times as potent as morphine.” It’s also well known that fentanyl patch problems cause overdoses, injuries and deaths. See www.aboutlawsuits.com/fentanyl-patch-problems-continue-overdose-deaths-55136. A 100 mcg/hour fentanyl patch has a range within 24 hours of 1.9-3.8 ng/mL. Mom’s death result was 2.7 ng/mL on/or about 48 hours.

Heart-Wrenching Lessons from Canada's Euthanasia Regime

By Dr Ramona Coelho (pictured here)

Twenty years ago, just out of medical school, I couldn’t have imagined that vulnerable patients might one day feel their suffering was so poorly dealt with that they'd ask their doctor to end their lives. Since our country, Canada, legalised Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) in 2016, we have seen over 60,000 MAiD deaths by 2023, with exponential yearly growth rates. Quebec’s recent report reveals that their MAiD annual death rate has surpassed 7%, and they can’t even assess the quality of palliative care provided.

The Canada I grew up in valued dignity and protected the vulnerable. Now, inadequate care and weak safeguards are pushing Canadians with disabilities toward assisted death. A recent report from an Ontario government committee I sit on confirms the warnings of Canadian and United Nations human rights experts: people are choosing death because they lack essential supports and services.

Ontario: At Least 428 Non-compliant Euthanasia Deaths.

By Alex Schadenberg [pictured below],

A research essay by Alexander Raikin that was  published by the New Atlantis on November 11, 2024 uncovers that there have been at least 428 non-compliant euthanasia deaths in the province of Ontario. In his research essay Raikin sets out the tone of his conclusions in his opening paragraph by stating:

For years, there have been clear signals that euthanasia providers in Canada may be breaking the law and getting away with it. That is the finding of the officials who are responsible for monitoring euthanasia deaths to ensure compliance in the province of Ontario. Newly uncovered reports reveal that these authorities have thus far counted over 400 apparent violations — and have kept this information from the public and not pursued a single criminal charge, even against repeat violators and “blatant” offenders.

A Settled and Informed Decision to be Killed Will be Impossible to Ensure

By Alex Schadenberg

Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

A long-awaited bill to legalize assisted suicide in England and Wales was introduced and is likely to be debated on November 29.  A report by Paul Godfrey for UPI news on November 2 states:

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, a so-called private members' bill introduced by Labor MP Kim Leadbeater, would legalize assisted dying for mentally competent patients in England and Wales who have made a "clear, settled and informed decision" and have not been subject to any form of coercion or pressure.

Kim Leadbeater states that this is the tightest assisted dying bill in the world. ...

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition will soon provide a further analysis of the bill.  From the outset the concept that the person has made a "clear, settled and informed decision" to be killed and has not been subject to any form of coercion or pressure will be impossible to ensure.  These words are only a "sales technique" to convince politicians to support the bill.

In Memory of Diane Coleman (Pictured Below)

https://www.newcomerrochester.com/obituaries/diane-coleman

The family will receive friends, 1 pm -4 pm Sunday November 10, 2024 at New Comer Cremations and Funerals, 6 Empire Blvd. (next to Donut's Delight). A funeral service will begin promptly following visitation at 4 pm.

Diane has been an accomplished person from an early age! Diane, shortly after birth was diagnosed with some form of Muscular Dystrophy. She defied all odds after telling her parents William and Dolores Coleman that she might not live past her teens. 

Diane went on to Graduate from Loy Norris High School as Valedictorian of her class. She then went on to University of Illinois to continue her studies. While there she lived independently and learned to drive a handicapped equipped van! Her parents were in amazement with all of her accomplishments!

But then she continued by moving on to Los Angeles, California and attended UCLA and Graduated with her Law Degree. Then went on to pass the California State Bar. Shortly after, she went on to work for the State of California as a Lawyer for about 12 years. 

Diane became active in the disability rights movement with the group ADAPT. She was a big advocate in getting lifts on all buses! She was involved in many protests, being arrested many times for the cause.

Warning From a Minneapolis Meeting

The New York Times reported:

 

When 12,000 public health professionals gathered in Minneapolis last week for the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association, Dr. Jerome Adams, who served as surgeon general in the first administration of President-elect Donald J. Trump, issued a pointed warning about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

“If R.F.K. has a significant influence on the next administration, that could further erode people’s willingness to get up to date with recommended vaccines,” Dr. Adams said. “I am worried about the impact that could have on our nation’s health, on our nation’s economy, on our global security.”

Now, Mr. Kennedy, a vocal skeptic of vaccines, is in a position to have significant influence, and over a broad range of policy. Mr. Trump’s sweeping electoral victory, with Mr. Kennedy at his side, is — in the eyes of their supporters — not only a mandate but also a repudiation of the public health establishment that has long kept Mr. Kennedy at bay.

West Virginia Voters Narrowly Approve Putting Medically Assisted Suicide Prohibition in Constitution

By: Lori Kersey - November 6, 2024 

West Virginia voters on Tuesday narrowly approved a constitutional amendment that adds a prohibition on medically assisted suicide to the state’s constitution. Amendment 1 passed with 50.5% of voters voting for the measure, and 49.5% opposing it, according to unofficial results from the Secretary of State’s Office. 

Medically assisted suicide is already illegal in West Virginia. 

The amendment adds to the bill of rights a line that says,

No person, physician, or health care provider in the State of West Virginia shall participate in the practice of medically assisted suicide, euthanasia, or mercy killing of a person.

It goes on to say that nothing in the section prohibits giving a prescription of medication to alleviate pain or discomfort, prohibit the withholding or withdrawing of life-sustaining treatment, and nothing in the section prevents the state using capital punishment.

Del. Pat McGeehan, R-Hancock, [pictured above] championed the amendment, calling it a proactive measure to ensure that medically assisted suicide does not one day become legal in West Virginia. 

Diane Coleman, Leader of Not Dead Yet, has Died

By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition *

It is very sad news to announce that the great Diane Coleman [pictured here] has died. Diane founded Not Dead Yet in 1996 and was the President and CEO of Not Dead Yet until her death. The fact that other Not Dead Yet organizations world-wide were founded in conjunction with Not Dead Yet in America proves that her activities had world-wide significance.

I have always had incredible respect for Diane's direction, understanding of the issues and her leadership skills. Diane led a group of people who differed greatly and yet she effectively enabled them to work together.

Not Dead Yet, under Diane's leadership, was the most effective organization in preventing the spread of assisted suicide in America.

Diane and Stephen Drake

Diane Coleman and Stephen Drake spoke at some of the earlier EPC [Euthanasia Prevention Coalition] conferences that Not Dead Yet co-sponsored.

Not Dead Yet [was] incredibly successful during the Massachusetts assisted suicide voter initiative in 2012, Diane worked with John Kelly to establish Second Thoughts Connecticut as the disability rights voice - voting NO on question 2. This decision was a decisive factor in the defeat of the assisted suicide voter initiative in 2012.

West Virginia: Prohibiting Assisted Suicide

By Curtis Johnson. Original publication 10/31/24.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The way you choose to deal with a terminal illness is on the ballot in West Virginia.

Lawmakers, in March proposed a state constitutional amendment to prohibit medically assisted suicide, also referred to as medical aid in dying and death with dignity.

WSAZ found assisted suicide is already against West Virginia law. So the station we reached out to a sponsor of the legislation, Kanawha County Del. Chris Pritt [pictured here].

“With a law already on the books that prohibits this, why pass an amendment?” asked WSAZ reporter Curtis Johnson.

“Things can happen at the drop of dime in any given legislative session, and what this does is it makes sure that we, to the extent that any laws would be attempted to be passed, this would put a brake on it,” Pritt replied.

West Virginia Voters to Decide on Medically Assisted Suicide Prohibition in Constitution

By Lori Kersey (pictured right)*

During the general election, West Virginians will decide whether the state constitution should prohibit physicians and other health care providers from helping a patient die. 

Medically assisted suicide is already illegal in the state. Amendment 1 would enshrine a “protection against medically assisted suicide” into the state’s constitution.

The amendment reads: 

No person, physician, or health care provider in the State of West Virginia shall participate in the practice of medically assisted suicide, euthanasia, or mercy killing of a person. 

Voting yes on the amendment would be a vote in favor of adding those words to the constitution.