Informative Speech on Assisted Suicide Nov
Quigley 1
Paulina Quigley
Professor O’Connell
Com 101
November 3rd, 2014 Assisted Suicide
I am sure many of you have thought about death and how you want to die.
Many of you including myself say dying in your sleep would be the most preferable way to go. How scary is this thought of death? Did you know that only five out of fifty states allow someone to die with dignity meaning allow them to commit suicide. They only allow it if you are terminally ill and have 6 months or less to die. Therefore when a doctor tells you that you have maybe six months to live what are you supposed to do then? Wait to die, or start thinking about what actual choices you have. A lot of you may have heard of Brittany Maynard, the girl who wanted to end her life at the age of 29? If you haven’t then here is a little background. Brittney was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in it’s most severe stage with no cure. She found this out because she was getting severe headaches and went to find out what was wrong. Walking out of the doctors office her life has changed forever. She found out she had only six months to live and with that she decided to move from her home in California to Oregon which is one of the five states currently in the United States that allow Physician
Quigley 2
Assisted Suicide to make the decision to pass peacefully surrounded by her loved ones. Therefore today I will explain and pass my knowledge of what Physician
Assisted Suicide is, the process of it and where it is legal. At first when I heard about Brittany’s story I couldn’t believe that someone that young would want to die until I read more into detail of what she was going through. Then I was able to understand more and truly think and consider what options people really do have when it comes to us wanting to die on our own. I came to the conclusion that it really isn’t much. Many states, forty five of them do not allow Physician
Assisted Suicide, for example “Alaska,
Paulina Quigley
Professor O’Connell
Com 101
November 3rd, 2014 Assisted Suicide
I am sure many of you have thought about death and how you want to die.
Many of you including myself say dying in your sleep would be the most preferable way to go. How scary is this thought of death? Did you know that only five out of fifty states allow someone to die with dignity meaning allow them to commit suicide. They only allow it if you are terminally ill and have 6 months or less to die. Therefore when a doctor tells you that you have maybe six months to live what are you supposed to do then? Wait to die, or start thinking about what actual choices you have. A lot of you may have heard of Brittany Maynard, the girl who wanted to end her life at the age of 29? If you haven’t then here is a little background. Brittney was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in it’s most severe stage with no cure. She found this out because she was getting severe headaches and went to find out what was wrong. Walking out of the doctors office her life has changed forever. She found out she had only six months to live and with that she decided to move from her home in California to Oregon which is one of the five states currently in the United States that allow Physician
Quigley 2
Assisted Suicide to make the decision to pass peacefully surrounded by her loved ones. Therefore today I will explain and pass my knowledge of what Physician
Assisted Suicide is, the process of it and where it is legal. At first when I heard about Brittany’s story I couldn’t believe that someone that young would want to die until I read more into detail of what she was going through. Then I was able to understand more and truly think and consider what options people really do have when it comes to us wanting to die on our own. I came to the conclusion that it really isn’t much. Many states, forty five of them do not allow Physician
Assisted Suicide, for example “Alaska,