Terminal illness. A term underlined by the fatal, immense agonising pain. An individual is tortured by the uncertainty of their numbered days. The question of” How many days do I have left?” sits in the forefront of their minds. The pain is simply unimaginable for the rest of us, although many of us know someone who has suffered in such a dire manner. Therefore, on this day I am advocating for the legalisation of euthanasia for the terminally ill in Australia. Advocating for those who can no longer due to the heavy weight of their suffering.
The debate over voluntary euthanasia has recently been brought under scrutiny following the suicide of a highly regarded veteran. Nearly two decades went by for Clive Deverall. Two decades of a reduced
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It must be clear by now that the pain suffered by terminally ill patients is ultimately worse than death for some of them. There are countless examples which amplify this implication. Clive Deverall is one of many who has taken too many hits, too much medication and far too much pain. He’s seen the worst of it all as the former cancer council CEO of Western Australia. So what exactly drove this man to such a desperate death?
Firstly, to understand the full argument, you must understand the topic. As defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Euthanasia is the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy. With that understanding it is hard to see why people who are terminally ill do not have the option of having a pain free death on their own terms.
Even without a law, doctors have been aiding people to die for years. It’s termed passive euthanasia, and is much more common than the Australian community commonly believes. Passive euthanasia involves the withdrawal of treatment from the patient, in order to end the patient’s life. Now this is only done at the patients request. Most people against euthanasia make the false assumption that consent is optional and it’s the doctors decision to end their patient’s life. This is most certainly
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Yet the right to die in a dignified and controlled manner remains illegal. Stephen Hawking himself suffers from ALS, a terminal illness with currently no treatment. He describes keeping someone alive against their wishes as the “ultimate indignity.” In the inevitable progression of a terminal illness, a stage is reached. The stage at which palliative care stops working as well as it used to. Discomfort is experienced by the patient, affecting both their physical and mental wellbeing. They are forced to live out their last days in immense pain. Surrounded by distraught family wondering how much longer they have with their loved one. In the case of euthanasia, dignity is maintained. There is no uncertainty for the patient or their family members and the pain subsides relatively quickly. If one wishes to die in this controlled manner, they should most certainly have the