Women with terminal illnesses push for option to end their lives
By Jeff Morgan
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ANNAPOLIS, Maryland (WMAR) — Lynn Cave and Diane Kraus have been leading the charge in Annapolis to allow for medical aid in dying.
Both of them are battling different forms of cancer, with terminal diagnosis.
“I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in may of 2021,” Kraus said.
“In 2019, I was diagnosed with eye cancer,” said Cave.
Both don’t know how much longer they have to live.
“I have passed my expectancy by over a year, almost a year and a half,” said Kraus.
“Part of me still doesn’t believe I have metastatic cancer and that I have a two year expiration date,” said Cave.
The current bill in front of the legislature would allow people to end their life when they want to.
The patients have to visit the doctor multiple times, have a 1-on-1 meeting to make sure they’re not being coerced and administer the life ending drugs themselves.
Senator Justin Ready, a Republican from Carroll and Frederick counties, says there is “no way to guarantee that a person has not been manipulated or subtly coerced into this decision.”
option to end their lives
Lynn Cave and Diane Kraus have been leading the charge in Annapolis to allow for medical aid in dying. Both of them are battling different forms of cancer, with terminal diagnosis. “I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in may of 2021,” Kraus said. By: Jeff MorganPosted at 5:18 PM, Feb 12, 2024 and last updated 5:18 PM, Feb 12, 2024 ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Lynn Cave and Diane Kraus have been leading the charge in Annapolis to allow for medical aid in dying.
Both of them are battling different forms of cancer, with terminal diagnosis.
“I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in may of 2021,” Kraus said.
“In 2019, I was diagnosed with eye cancer,” said Cave.
Both don’t know how much longer they have to live.
“I have passed my expectancy by over a year, almost a year and a half,” said Kraus.
“Part of me still doesn’t believe I have metastatic cancer and that I have a two year expiration date,” said Cave.
The current bill in front of the legislature would allow people to end their life when they want to.
The patients have to visit the doctor multiple times, have a 1-on-1 meeting to make sure they’re not being coerced and administer the life ending drugs themselves.
Senator Justin Ready, a Republican from Carroll and Frederick counties, says there is “no way to guarantee that a person has not been manipulated or subtly coerced into this decision.”
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“The problem with this bill is that there is no way to guarantee that a person has not been manipulated or subtly coerced into this decision through familial or financial pressures – even well-meaning suggestion. We should never have a law that opens door to people who are sick ending their life because of concerns about money or cost,” Ready said.
For Cave and Kraus, it seems like a better option than allowing the cancer to decide how they leave this Earth.
“I don’t want my family to watch me suffer for the last few weeks of my life,” said Kraus.
“Eventually the cancer will choke out my liver cells. Once that happens, the other parts of my body will slowly collapse and I’ll pass in like two weeks after my liver fails. Who would want to wait two weeks knowing you’re going to die and it could be painful, very painful,” said Cave.
The bill is sponsored by Delegate Terri Hill, who is being pushed to pass this by her mom.
“She’s healthy and we don’t see a terminal illness soon but she’s in her nineties but she wants to know that when her time comes she’ll have an option, she’ll have an option,” said Delegate Hill.
This is the ninth time the bill has been introduced, it has passed the House previously but not the Senate.
This year it’s expected to spark a large debate on the Senate floor but proponents are hopeful it will pass.
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