By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition. Original publication 03/06/25.
I recently spoke at the British parliament about the experience with assisted suicide in America. The British parliament is currently debating the legalization of assisted suicide. The British assisted suicide bill, that is sponsored by Kim Leadbeater, is similar to an American style assisted suicide bill.
While in England, I had the opportunity to visit with a physician who practises palliative medicine. She told me about a meeting with a patient and her family to explain that the patient has a terminal condition but she is not terminally ill.
In 2011, Dr Kenneth Stevens [pictured above], a long time radiation oncologist in Oregon, wrote an excellent article titled: "Terminal Illness: What does it mean?" In his article Dr Stevens writes about several of his patients who were diagnosed with a terminal illness.
The first story was a patient, Mr Jones, who was diagnosed with lung cancer that had spread to his brain. Dr Stevens explains:
He was not having any breathing problems and, except for headaches, the tumors in his brain were not causing any neurological or mental problems. Yet, his doctor had told him and his wife that he was "terminal."