'I'm afraid of how I'm going to die': Those terminally ill advocate for medical-assisted death скачать в хорошем качестве

'I'm afraid of how I'm going to die': Those terminally ill advocate for medical-assisted death

(12 Apr 2024) FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4488255 ++MUSIC CLEARED FOR USE++ ASSOCIATED PRESS Lombard, Illinois - 21 March 2024 1. Deb Robertson sitting at home 2. SOUNDBITE (English) Deb Robertson, Illinois resident: ++PARTIALLY COVERED++ "I was diagnosed in January of 2022 with neuroendocrine carcinoma, a terminal diagnosis and something I was totally not expecting, I was in very good health, so I thought." 3. Various of Deb Robertson sitting at home 4. SOUNDBITE (English) Deb Robertson, Illinois resident: "You know, I'm not afraid of dying because I know I'm going to die. I already know that, I've had too many people tell me that it's inarguable, inarguable, but I'm a little afraid of how I'm going to die, what it's going to look like. And again how it's going to affect my family, what they're going to see. You know, I want to go out just like this." 5. Portrait featuring Deb Robertson and wife Kate Koubek ANNOTATION: Deb advocates for terminally ill people in Illinois to have the option to end their life under specific conditions and with the assistance of medical staff. 6. SOUNDBITE (English) Deb Robertson, Illinois resident: "You know, I go to sleep at night thinking about, you know, what what my life would look like if I had that peace of mind, if I had that control over the end and what it was going to look like. And all I can keep doing is keep sharing my knowledge in helping people understand the absolute need for this. It's a need not only for me, but for people with a terminal illness." 7. Deb Robertson sitting at home ANNOTATION: Physician assisted death is already allowed in ten states and over a dozen states are debating bills to legalize it. 8. SOUNDBITE (English) Deb Robertson, Illinois resident: "I think, you know, people understanding that this isn't something that is just a fly by night thing. You know, like a quick decision. It's not a quick decision. I want people to think of all the parameters. I want them to have all their questions answered so that they can make an informed decision. I want to have the right to make an informed decision." 9. Various of Deb Robertson pointing at portrait STORYLINE: Deb Robertson who lives outside Chicago, advocates for terminally ill people in Illinois to have the option to end their life under specific conditions and with the assistance of medical staff. Currently twelve states have bills that would legalize physician-assisted death. Eight states and Washington D.C. already allow it, but only for their own residents. Vermont and Oregon permit any qualifying American to travel to their state for the practice. Patients must be within six months of death, and be assessed at least three times by doctors to ensure they are capable of making an informed decision. That patchwork of laws has left Americans in most states without the recourse. Some patients choose to apply for residency in a state where it’s legal. Others take arduous trips in the late-stage throes of disease to die in unfamiliar places and beds, far from family, friends and pets. Robertson didn’t cry when she learned last month that the cancerous tumors in her liver were growing, portending a tormented death. But that night she received a call. A bill moving through the Illinois Legislature to allow certain terminally ill patients to hasten their own deaths with a doctor’s help had made progress. =========================================================== Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...