Gloria Taylor, right-to-die activist, dies of natural causes

[oneh2obabe]

VANCOUVER—The woman who won the right to become the first Canadian to have a physician-assisted suicide after a landmark B.C. Supreme Court ruling on Canada’s right-to-die laws has died of natural causes.

Gloria Taylor, 64, who was in the later stages of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), died suddenly Thursday after a severe infection resulting from a perforated colon, the B.C. Civil Liberties Association said in a release late Friday.

“Due to the acute nature and brief course of her illness from the infection, Gloria did not need to seek the assistance of a physician to end her life,” the statement said. “In the end, Gloria’s death was quick and peaceful and she was spared from the prolonged death from ALS that she dreaded and which inspired her participation in the lawsuit. Gloria died in hospital, surrounded by her friends and family members.”

The B.C. Civil Liberties Association represented Taylor and two other plaintiffs in the landmark case, which was heard in B.C. Supreme Court this summer, the first time in more than 20 years that a right-to-die case has made it to a court that high since Sue Rodriguez, a Victoria woman with ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease), took her battle all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada in 1983.

The B.C. Supreme Court ruling found that current laws violated the constitutional rights of disabled people. While able-bodied people were able to commit suicide, the ruling found that disabled people didn’t have the same abilities without the help of physicians. The ruling was suspended for 12 months to give Parliament time to write new legislation. Taylor, however, was granted a legal exemption to have the option of a doctor-assisted suicide.

Taylor’s mother, Anne Fomenoff, said her daughter found solace in knowing she had a choice about how and when she would die. She died peacefully, spared a long and painful death from ALS, she said.

“Gloria was able to live her final days free from the fear that she would be sentenced to suffer cruelly in a failing body. The exemption she was granted allowed her to face her illness and death with dignity and grace,” Fomenoff said in a statement through the B.C. Civil Liberties Association.

The federal government has appealed the B.C. Supreme Court decision. A hearing before the B.C. Court of Appeal is scheduled for March 2013.

“Gloria was a heroic woman. Even as her own body failed her, she fought for all Canadians to have choice and dignity at the end of life,” said Grace Pastine, litigation director for the B.C. Civil Liberties Association.

“Gloria was terrified that she would become trapped in her body as her ALS progressed, and she was incensed that other Canadians with serious illnesses were facing the same cruel predicament. She spent the last days of her life tirelessly advocating to change the law.”

After winning the ruling, Taylor told the Star that she had talked to her physician about her desire to have a physician-assisted suicide when the time was right for her.

“He did tell me before that he would support me,” she said. “He said he would support me but he had to think of this aspect of it, of course, as anybody would.”

Taylor wore butterfly earrings as a symbol of hope.

“That’s going to be my sign to one sister, Shirley in particular, when I come back, so she’ll know that butterflies are that beautiful life after death.”

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/arti ... ral-causes

[dorito]

RIP Ms Taylor and my sincerest condolences to your family. You were a true hero in your time of illness and a pioneer to all Canadians with your brave battle to change this law. I can only hope your crusade will benefit those who may want to choose assisted suicide, especially those fighting this evil disease, ALS.

Sincerely, a daughter watching her mom deteriorate rapidly from ALS and is dreading the thought of her horrific death from this disease.

[normaM]

RIP Ms Taylor and my sincerest condolences to your family. You were a true hero in your time of illness and a pioneer to all Canadians with your brave battle to change this law. I can only hope your crusade will benefit those who may want to choose assisted suicide, especially those fighting this evil disease, ALS.

Sincerely, a daughter watching her mom deteriorate rapidly from ALS and is dreading the thought of her horrific death from this disease.

So sorry about your Mom I can't add anything to your post, Ms. Taylor was indeed a brave woman

[WhatThe]

She fought for our rights and for that she has my respect and gratitude. RIP.

[Roadster]

RIP Gloria Taylor,,, thanks for leaving us with hope for our future... Condolences to your family,,, you are my hero, you are a hero to many who might face this disease and many other diseases that can leave a person suffering needlessly. Thank you to all who supported her fight as well.