Saskatchewan woman granted province’s first doctor assisted-death

A Saskatchewan judge has granted the province’s first ever doctor assisted-death. The landmark decision was made on Wednesday in a Regina courtroom.

The woman known only as Patient 0518, suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and a form of cancer known as metastatic bone disease. 

There is a publication ban on the woman’s name and the names of her doctors.

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She was diagnosed with ALS in 2013 and lost her ability to speak in 2014. Her life expectancy is six to eight months.

‘I’m essentially trapped in my body.’
– Patient 0518

Without the help of suction, she would die immediately, according to her doctor. 

She has been fed exclusively through a stomach feeding tube since December 2015.

Patient 0518, in her own words

In her affidavit she explained the situation.

“I choke on my saliva. It gives me a drowning feeling. I have been advised that I could die by drowning on my saliva or by aspirating. The prospect of dying in this way frightens me.”

She said she can still breathe on her own and move her head in a limited way. 

“Other than this I’m essentially trapped in my body.”

In order to communicate, she uses a letter board she controls with her eyes.

If staff are present, the woman says she makes a noise if she needs assistance and if they are away she hits a call bell on her bed rail with her head. She said in her statement that staff at her care facility and her family help her regularly but despite that she stated, “I cry a lot.”

Family and physician support

The woman had three doctors file affidavits which stated that her consent to a doctor assisted-death is “informed, free, voluntary and clear.” 

She has the support of her doctors and her family in pursuing an assisted-death.

In his judgement, Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Martel Popescul said, “Clearly, Patient 0518’s medical conditions are causing her enduring, intolerable suffering. Her situation continues to decline and there are no viable treatments.” 

‘Clearly, Patient 0518’s medical conditions are causing her enduring, intolerable suffering.’
– Justice, Martel Popescul

Popescul said the woman has met the criteria to qualify for the constitutional exemption for a doctor-assisted death. She is now able to go ahead with the process.

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MPs to vote on assisted-death bill soon

Last February, the Supreme Court of Canada granted doctor assisted-deaths in specific cases.

It gave the federal and provincial governments a year to come up with amended legislation.

The new Liberal government crafted Bill C-14 and federal MPs are expected to vote on it in the next few days. The Supreme Court of Canada imposed a deadline on the decision for June 6.