Euthanasia

Euthanasia, just one word that can stir up a debate within seconds. Many may not know this, but euthanasia has existed long before modern times. Ancient Greeks and Romans have long been involved in the act of intentionally killing someone out of mercy. Of course, euthanasia was not performed in a civilized or advanced way as it is in today’s society. No, it simply required someone to murder the person and deal with their body in an unethical way.

You might be wondering, why would anyone request to end their life? Well, euthanasia may not be such a simple topic to understand. Euthanasia in today’s society is defined as a form of intentionally killing a patient who suffers from an incurable and painful disease. The patient’s death is usually conducted in a painless method, such as being given a lethal drink or injection. Euthanasia is often requested by patients who no longer want themselves, or those around them, to suffer from their disease and as a result choose to end their life. In a nutshell, euthanasia is most commonly known as a form of assisted suicide. In many countries, euthanasia is illegal.

There have been many cases of people who have pleaded and requested that their life is ended painlessly, but many of them often unable to obtain the government’s approval for the procedure. One such case involved a 14-year-old girl, Valentina Maureira. Valentina has been suffering from cystic fibrosis since she was young. She resides in Chile and has been receiving treatment from a hospital in Santiago, Chile. However, Valentina did something that not many people would have done to request for euthanasia. She posted a video on YouTube pleading Chilean president, Michelle Bachelet to authorize an injection which will allow doctors to euthanize her. Euthanizing Valentina will help her end her battle with cystic fibrosis painlessly. In the video, Valentina expressed her frustration for the limited options she has and has hurt her quality of life. In her heartbreaking video, she says, “I want her (Michelle Bachelet) approval so I can get a shot that will make me sleep forever.” When the video began spreading on social media, Chile’s government released a statement saying that euthanasia violates Chile’s law and that Valentina’s request could not be approved. But President Bachelet did meet with Valentina and her family to discuss the availability of medical and mental health resources that could be offered for her instead.

The legalization of euthanasia has constantly been a heavy debate among many. People in favor of euthanasia often argue that a suffering patient with an incurable disease should have the right to request this form of death. However, many of those who argue against euthanasia often bring in the role of religion and the interference with God’s plans for the patient.

Euthanasia is one of those life choices that people should not be able to make for you. Requesting euthanasia is a personal choice, and those that request it should be given the right to undergo the procedure. Patients suffering from their disease should be able to have the option of undergoing assisted suicide, as long as they have given permission for the procedure to be done. The patients who request euthanasia often understand the circumstances they are in and recognize that the pain they are suffering from is not worth the torture they are giving to their families or themselves. These patients experience the disease first-hand and therefore understand how difficult it is to try to endure in a normal life. Governments who make laws against euthanasia typically do not know the experience of living first-hand with an incurable disease. As a result of this, they may sometimes approve laws that are not in their best interest.

Sweden is one of the few countries in the world that have legalized euthanasia. Thousands of individuals have flown over to Sweden and met with a company called Dignitas, the company that holds the power to approve or disapprove their request of the procedure. Many see euthanasia as an opportunity. They believe that either they take the opportunity to undergo euthanasia and die painlessly, or continue to live with their pain and eventually die.  They argue that if an individual is to die later on in life anyways, why not now to avoid the pain? There are many sides to this controversial topic, but ultimately the choice does lie in the hands of the individual who seeks to end their life slowly and painlessly.