Season 2 Episode 02: Death on my own terms - Medical Aid in Dying with Dan Diaz
I was sitting with my mother when she passed. It was not the kind of death I would have wished for her. She was under palliative sedation, which took away all opportunities to have those final words, those final goodbyes. She seemed without pain, which was a blessing, but it was not easy to watch. I often thought about how much suffering we let our loved ones go through at the end of life. It is painful for the one passing, but just as hard for the loved ones standing by helplessly watching and wishing they could make the suffering go away.
We don’t let our pets suffer. We call the vet and make an informed decision to spare them from any unnecessary pain. Why can’t we do this for our loved ones? It seems barbaric at times because not everyone has the blessing of an easy death.
Years ago, I heard the story of Brittany Maynard, a young woman who at 29 years of age faced a terminal diagnosis and made headlines by choosing the route of Medical Aid in Dying. She captured my heart with her beauty, her bravery in standing up for her decision and in advocating for others. With the time she had left she advocated for the legalization of Medial Aid in Dying, which at that point was only available in four states.
Her story touched me deeply and that is why I am even more excited about this interview.
In today’s episode, I am speaking with Dan Diaz, Brittany’s husband, who carries on her legacy in advocating for a legalization of Medical Aid in Dying. And we are joined by Brandi Alexander, one of his colleagues at Compassion and Choices, a wonderful organization that carries forward the mission of expanding end-of life care options for everyone by going straight to the top and advocating for changes on a federal level.
We will talk about Brittany and her legacy and have a closer look at Medical Aid in Dying and how words like “euthanasia” and “physician assisted suicide” are often stigmatized and weaponized by its opponents.
I really hope this episode reaches a lot of people and opens up conversations at your dinner table, among friends and family about your own life choices.
Dan Diaz
In this episode I am speaking to Dan Diaz. Dan is husband to Brittany Maynard, the terminally ill 29-year-old woman who left her home state of California and moved to Oregon to access medical aid in dying. Brittany ended her suffering under Oregon's law in 2014. Dan continues to carry on Brittany’s legacy.
Brandi Alexander
Brandi Alexander is currently the Chief Engagement Officer at Compassion & Choices, where she leads the organization's outreach to priority populations, engages with Clinicians, African Americans, Latino, Faith, Secular, Disability, LGBTQ+ and Asian American Native Hawai’ian and Pacific Islander communities. She was the recipient of the 2024 American Society on Aging DEI award.
Links and Resources for this episode:
Compassion & Choices
Compassion & Choices’ mission is to improve care, expand end-of-life options, and empower everyone to chart their own end-of-life journey by advocating for patient-directed healthcare, advancing policies that protect individual choice, and providing resources that help people, families, and communities make informed decisions about their final stages of life .
Medical Aid in Dying in your state (US)
Find out the laws regarding Medical Aid in Dying in your home state.
Take Action!
Your legislators need to hear from you. Your calls and letters will show lawmakers how deeply their constituents want medical aid in dying in their state. We can’t pass more laws and protect existing laws without you!
End of Life Decisions and Toolkit
Your legislators need to hear from you. Your calls and letters will show lawmakers how deeply their constituents want medical aid in dying in their state. We can’t pass more laws and protect existing laws without you!
Books to dive deeper into the subject:
It’s hard to talk about death in America. But even though the topic has been taboo, life’s end is an eventual reality.
So why not shape it to our values? Finish Strong is for those of us who want an end-of-life experience to match the life we’ve enjoyed. We know we should prepare, but are unsure how to think and talk about it, how to live true to our values and priorities, and how to make our wishes stick.