Compassion & Choices Explained

Compassion & Choices
Type:	Legal and legislative advocacy, counseling
Headquarters:	Portland, Oregon
Location:	United States
Num Staff:	80

Compassion & Choices is a nonprofit organization in the United States working to improve patient autonomy and individual choice at the end of life, including access to medical aid in dying. Its primary function is advocating for and ensuring access to aid in dying.^{[1] [2]}

History

Compassion & Choices is the successor to the Hemlock Society,^[3] and Compassion In Dying Federation; the organizations merged in 2007. The organization has a staff of 80 people located across the country.

The 2011 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury prize winner, How to Die in Oregon,^[4] documented the work of Compassion & Choices of Oregon.^[5]

See also

• Act 39 in Vermont, the first state to pass a death with dignity law by legislative action
• Barbara Coombs Lee
• Baxter v. Montana
• California End of Life Option Act
• Oregon Death with Dignity Act
• Family Health Care Decisions Act
• Gonzales v. Oregon
• Brittany Maynard
• Vacco v. Quill
• Washington v. Glucksberg
• Washington Death with Dignity Act

Bibliography

• Book: George Howe . Colt . The Enigma of Suicide . New York . . 1991 . 0671509969.
• Book: Côté . Richard N . In search of gentle death : the fight for your right to die with dignity . 2008 . Mt. Pleasant, S.C. . . 978-1-929175-36-9 .
• Book: Donald W. . Cox . Hemlock's Cup: The Struggle for Death With Dignity . . First . April 1, 1993 . 978-0879758080 .
• Book: Ian . Dowbiggin . A Merciful End: The Euthanasia Movement in America . Oxford England; New York, New York . . 2003 . 9780198035152.
• Book: Peter G. . Filene . In The Arms of Others: A Cultural History of the Right-to-Die in America . Chicago, Illinois . Ivan R. Dee . 1998 . 196 . 1-56663-188-2 .
• Book: Henry R. . Glick . The Right to Die: Policy Innovation and Its Consequences . New York . . 1992 . 0-231-07638-X .
• Book: Daniel . Hillyard . John . Dombrink . Dying Right: The Death With Dignity Movement . New York, NY . . 2001 . 978-0415927987.
• Farewell to Hemlock: Killed by its name, an essay by Derek Humphry 21 February 2005
• Book: Derek . Humphry . Derek Humphry . Good Life, Good Death - Memoir of a writer who became a euthanasia advocate . Junction City, Oregon . Norris Lane Press . 2008 . 9780976828334.
• Book: Constance E. . Putnam . Hospice or Hemlock? Searching for Heroic Compassion . Westport, Connecticut . Praeger . 2002 . 0897899210 .
• Book: Sidney, MD . Wanzer . Joseph, MD . Glenmullen . To Die Well. Your Right to Comfort, Calm and Choices in the Last Days of Your Life . Cambridge, Massachusetts . . 2007 . 978-0-7382-1083-4 .

Notes and References

1. Role of non-governmental organisations in physician assisted suicide . Stephen J . Ziegler . Georg . Bosshard . . 10 February 2007 . 334 . 7588 . 295–8 . 10.1136/bmj.39100.417072.be. 1796670 . 17289733.
2. The organization has worked for recognition of a difference between the terms "assisted suicide" and "legal physician aid in dying" in the criminal code. For example, Oregon law draws a distinction between "suicide" and "aid in dying" for criminal purposes. ORS 127.880 §3.14 http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/jpm.2009.9599https://web.archive.org/web/20100922060912/http://compassionandchoices.org/learnWeb site: Compassion & Choices . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110717203058/http://www.compassionandchoices.org/act/legal_work/Blick . 2011-07-17 . 2010-03-01.
3. Web site: End of Life Planning and Paliative Care - Compassion & Choices. compassionandchoices.org. 2009-09-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20110717203145/http://www.compassionandchoices.org/learn/timeline?searched=Hemlock&highlight=ajaxSearch_highlight+ajaxSearch_highlight1. 2011-07-17. dead.
4. News: Philly Nurse Exonerated in Assisted Death of Her Terminally Ill Father . Susan Donaldson . James . February 13, 2014 . ABC News. May 12, 2016.
5. News: Barnes. Brook. Unflinching End-of-Life Moments. New York Times. 16 April 2011. 24 January 2011.