Terminally ill need compassionate option

My best friend was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year. Her health insurance company gave her two options: chemotherapy or hospice care. As her disease progressed, her physician held out little hope for her recovery through chemo and could only recommend palliative care, which does not always prevent a painful death.

Of course, she wanted to live to enjoy her family and new grandchild, but a terminal illness removes the option of living.

Rather than accepting the unappealing care options given her, there could have been another, more humane care option for her and other terminally ill Illinoisans suffering from intolerable pain.

The Illinois legislature should pass the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act (SB3499) to allow terminally ill adults to have the legal option of requesting prescription medication they can take to end their dying process peacefully when their suffering becomes unbearable. A February Impact Research poll showed 71% of Illinois voters support our legislature passing a medical-aid-in-dying law, with majority support regardless of race or religion.

Ten other states and Washington, D.C., already allow medical aid in dying for the terminally ill. Illinois should also offer this compassionate option and pass SB3499

Aurelie G. Hirstein

Schaumburg