Primitiva Hernandez

Professor Pasley

W310 Academic Writing

November 1, 2015

Governor Brown Signed End of Life Option Act in California

Most people as well as myself have had a family member suffer from a terminally ill disease that has caused great pain and financial expenses to the family. Some states like Oregon and New Mexico have already implemented a solution to this issue by passing assisted suicide bills. California passed a bill which many people are optimistic about for what it represents for the terminally ill, while others worry that the bill targets a specific population and is against moral and religious beliefs. Admittedly, I had mixed feelings when I first heard about the signing of the Bill, but when I remember about what my aunt who died of a terminal disease had to go through I can’t help but support Gov. Brown’s decision. The End of Life Option Act signed by Gov. Brown in California allows terminally ill patients to enforce their human right of deciding when and how to end their life which I firmly believe represents the most fundamental form of sovereignty over their bodies.

I have seen the effects a terminal disease can cause in a family. My aunt died of an unknown cancer and the quality of life she had towards the end of her journey were most excruciating to watch. I can only imagine what it was like for her to see her children and close family see the suffering and pain that came with the disease. I believe that if she had been given the choice to die when she was still conscious and able to communicate with her loved ones, she would have preferred that way of dying. Plus, the financial stress that her condition brought to her family was strenuous because of their low income background. Lastly, she passed away inside the body of an unrecognizable person, the disease had taken away her life before she died. The End of Life Option Act gives people like my aunt the opportunity to say goodbye to their loved ones when their quality of life has not reached the worst stage yet.

It is true that many opponents of the Bill had valid arguments in their favor. For example, some emphasize on the point that patients who were given a few months to live, sometimes end up living for years. Others will refer to the religious belief that only God can determine when and how a person should leave this world. I share the same concerns mentioned above because of my Catholic background, which is why I had mixed feelings about the signing of the Bill. I believe that only the Almighty knows our fate for certain, and doctors often make mistakes because they are only human. Although these are all valid arguments, we have to remember that we will never know what terminal patients have to go through unless we are in their skin. Besides, the ultimate choice to end their life is given to the patient who is suffering from a terminal illness, and they are the only ones that can enact these services.

For instance, the End of Life Option Act Bill has specific requirements built into it that have to be met in order for the patient to be able to request the lethal dose of drugs. For example, for the Bill to be enacted by a terminally ill patient they have to orally make the request to two different doctors that have confirmed their sanity. Additionally, the doctors have to also confirm that the patient has less than six moths to live which eliminates the concern for foul play in the death of the patient. Only then will the doctor have the authority to prescribe a lethal dose of drugs and with this the terminally ill patient will end its suffering. It is crucial that we acknowledge the fact that it is in the best interest of the patient the reason that officials decided to present the Bill to Gov. Brown and ultimately will be the patient’s choice to die this way. With this in mind, the officials writing the Bill took into consideration the concerns of many opponents who believed this would be a way for terminally ill patients to be forced into their deaths. As well as the last pleads of many terminal patients like Brittany Maynard.

In light of Brittany Maynard’s story, we should see in her journey an example that signing the right to die Bill was the correct decision because it signifies that the citizen’s pleads are being heard. She voiced her desire to end the last agonizing days of her life and since this was not possible in California, she had to make the though choice to move to Oregon where she would exercise her right to chose when and how she wanted to die. This represents that most important form of sovereignty over our bodies by giving people like Brittany the freedom of choice that as citizens of the United States of America we all believe in. It would be ideal to see brave people like her who have already gone through a whole deal of struggles and pain pass away with peace in their hearts. Unquestionably, this type of death would also bring peace to the family because it would signify that the person’s last wishes were granted. 

Therefore, we should agree that if a person has not hope for survival because they have been diagnosed with a terminally ill disease, it is their human right to decide how and when they want to die. Clearly, Gov. Brown heard this and decided to make the though choice of signing the End of Life Option Act with the support on many and the concerns of others. One crucial fact to ponder on is that unless we put ourselves in the shoes of the terminally ill patient and their families, we will never know their tremendous struggle. Indeed the opponents’ arguments have honest concerns for the terminally ill and the possible violation of the Bill. However, as a nation that strongly believes in freedom of choice, we should be making the collective effort to advocate for the millions of patients and their families that have been given the heartbreaking news of only a few months left together. It is their human right and our human duty.