Sapiens are sentient, relational beings.

We feel, we imagine, we fear, we hope, and we deeply care how we are seen when our bodies fail us. Loss of physical function may be inevitable; loss of agency and the forced endurance of meaningless suffering need not be. It is an unbelievably self-serving view that terminal humans should be thankful for suffering up to the point where their organs are failing “naturally” to create an opportunity to teach humanity lessons in grief, humility, and gratitude.

Beyond the false choice — why SA needs both palliative care and assisted dying

Last month at the Desmond & Leah Tutu Foundation, Yvette Andrews told a story that no one wanted to hear, but everyone needed to…

Debate rages around the right to choose to die.

The practice of assisted dying remains one of the medical sector’s most explosive and enduring ethical dilemmas

South African doctors share their personal experiences in Canada of assisted dying, a way out of suffering that is now legal in about dozen countries.

Click on the image to go to full article…

26 January 2025

Claire Keeton Senior features writer, Sunday Times

Join the Policy Institute and the Complex Life and Death Decisions group as we reveal findings from new polling and tease apart the principle from practice when it comes to the debate on assisted dying.

Brian O'ConnellDignitySA patron, has died age 77.