Euthanasia

In 2010, three doctors from East Flanders in Belgium euthanised a 38-year-old woman. She was
diagnosed with autism, and she asked for euthanasia two months after diagnosis. Those doctors
were investigated because of this horrible crime. Euthanasia in Some countries, like Belgium and the
Netherlands, is legalised. Sometimes, it is carried out for no serious reasons such as psychiatric
reasons. Other countries offer patients life instead of death; therefore, euthanasia is illegal there.
Patients are given hope, good palliative care, and meaning to maintain the quality of their life.

Euthanasia's consequences are uncontrollable. Some ill or disabled people can live for many
years with their illness or disability, but they make their decision to be euthanised out of
desperation. For instance, there are "persons with an accumulation of health problems associated
with aging (...) and persons who are relatively healthy but consider their lives to be 'completed' or
are 'tired of life'." It is a kind of committing suicide. In 1998, Dr Philip Sutorius, a Dutch physician,
helped former senator Edward Brongersma to die with no serious physical or mental illness. Thus,
Dr Sutorius was found guilty of assisted suicide.

Palliative care is a perfect alternative to euthanasia. There is no need to kill people with terminal
illnesses when doctors can ease their pain. "Every patient should then have the right to palliative
care and every patient should have equal access to it" ("Euthanasia and the Needs of the Terminally
Ill"). Many cases are thought they are hopeless; then, doctors find out that their illness is curable. In
addition, medicine advances every day, and doctors may find a cure for the illness. For example,
some cancer patients are treated, while others at the late stages can live years on treatment.
Therefore, patients can enjoy more time with their family and friends. Death is death, so why to
hasten it?

Euthanasia makes disabled, sick, and elderly people feel that they are worthless. They are treated
as second-class citizens, as if they have no value unless they are completely productive. They see
themselves as a burden on society; hence, they focus on death rather than life. For them, death is
the only option to end their physical and emotional suffering. Providing support by family, friends,
and professionals is indispensable. Not Dead Yet UK (NDYUK) is a network in the UK against
legalising the killing of terminally ill and disabled people through euthanasia or assisted suicide.

In conclusion, euthanasia is not a solution but a problem. It opens the door for people to think
about it, even people with no severe pain. As much as possible, they should learn how to deal with
pain in order to return to their daily life. Society should relieve the pain of patients by offering
adequate palliative care. Palliative care is enough for them to be with their loved ones and have the
support they need. People around the patient need to make them find meaning in their life. As long
as they are alive, they have a mission to complete until their last breath.
Resources:

Ulrichová, Monika. "Euthanasia and the Needs of the Terminally Ill"(Italic). Czech Republic: Elsevier
Ltd, 2016

"Requests for euthanasia or assisted suicide of people without (severe) illness." ScienceDirect
(Italic). sciencedirect.com. 9 June 2022. Web.