Stop assisted suicide in New York State now

By KATHLEEN M. GALLAGHER- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

JJ Hanson is a fighter. A Hudson Valley native, JJ joined the Marine Corps after college, served his country in Iraq and later became active in politics. He knows a thing or two about battles.

Now, he is in the fight of his life. Still in his 30s and the married father of a young son, JJ was diagnosed in May 2014 with Grade 4 Glioblastoma. That's the same terminal brain cancer that afflicted Brittany Maynard, the young California woman who took her life late last year after becoming a national advocate for assisted suicide.

JJ understands her pain, her fears, her suffering. But JJ sees a different role for himself in his time of trial.

As I said, JJ is a fighter. He has been through surgeries, chemotherapies and radiation treatments. He knows the odds are still against him. But he also knows that his life is a gift, and he cherishes it. He fights for his life, he fights for his family, and he fights for cutting-edge clinical research that is crucial to finding a cure for this terrible disease.

He is bringing his fight to Albany. On Nov. 7, JJ Hanson will be one of several inspirational speakers at a training conference to help Catholics understand physician-assisted suicide and what we can do to make sure it does not come to New York State.

Since the highly-publicized death of Ms. Maynard, advocates in favor of assisted suicide have been working overtime to legalize the practice in numerous states. Their bill in California was rushed through a special legislative session and signed into law by Governor Brown Oct. 5.

We must not let that happen in our state.

In New York, two different but equally dangerous bills have been introduced and a lawsuit has been filed, all in attempt to overturn New York's current ban on assisted suicide. The stakes are high -- literally life and death -- and the debate will begin in earnest in January, when the 2016 New York State legislative session begins. We must be prepared!

The Nov. 7 conference, to be held at St. Pius X parish hall in Loudonville, also features a family practitioner who will explain why the medical community has always opposed doctor-assisted suicide, and an attorney who will break down the suicide legislation to reveal the loopholes and lack of safeguards for vulnerable people.

Sister M. Peter Lillian Di Maria, a Carmelite Sister for the Aged and Infirm from Germantown, will cap off the conference. Sister Peter is director of the Avila Institute of Gerontology, where she educates people about palliative care, comfort and compassion at the end of life, allowing natural death with true dignity.

Recognizing the importance of this critical issue, Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger will welcome participants to the conference and offer a special blessing.

Please come be a part of this important and timely training.

(Mrs. Gallagher is director of pro-life activities for the New York State Catholic Conference, which advocates on behalf of the state's bishops on public policy issues.)[[In-content Ad]]