A guest essay in the Aug. 9 Des Moines Register by Rusty Martin detailed his decision to end his life after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Because such a plan, which advocates often refer to as “death with dignity,” is not legal in Iowa, Martin wrote, he planned to travel to Europe with his wife in the days after the essay was published.
“When I travel to Switzerland, Dignitas, an organization that helps terminally ill people die, will require that I be examined by two doctors to ensure that I still have the capacity to make this decision. That’s why I need to go sooner than I would prefer,” Martin wrote.
The morality of medically assisted suicide has been hotly contested for decades. As Martin pointed out, proposals to make it an option in Iowa have fizzled.
If you haven’t read it, here’s a link to Martin’s piece. He also shared more thoughts in the video above.
We’d like to hear from you about terminal disease and end-of-life questions, and whether Martin’s perspective changed anything for you. Use the form below.
Lucas Grundmeier is the Register’s opinion editor.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Should Iowa change course on medically assisted suicide? | Opinion
Reporting by Lucas Grundmeier, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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By Lucas Grundmeier, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
