The story of a Dutch woman who changed her mind about being euthanised moments before she was due to have a lethal injection is a “beacon of hope”, says Sydney psychiatrist and palliative care researcher David Kissane. Source: The Catholic Weekly.
Several media outlets reported on November 13 that the 22-year-old woman, identified as Romy, had begun advocating for her right to die upon turning 18, having suffered clinical depression and eating disorders as a result of childhood abuse.
But in June 2023, she called off the procedure at the last moment, when asked by the administrating doctor, “Are you sure?”
The reports, based on an article published by Dutch news outlet NRC, said she subsequently applied once again for euthanasia, but with trauma therapy and “consistent work” she has found purpose in life.
Now living in communal assisted living in Rotterdam, Romy is studying for a diploma in adult education and said, “Because I’ve been so close to death, I see life as something valuable. It won’t always go well, but I now know there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
Dr Kissane, the chair of Palliative Care Research at the University of Notre Dame Australia, said euthanasia for people with mental illness is administered in the Netherlands and Belgium through pro-euthanasia clinics who employ activists promoting liberalisation of euthanasia laws.
“Sadly, the number of young patients with autism, anorexia nervosa, depression, loneliness, schizophrenia and personality disorder has grown year by year,” he said.
“Against this pattern, the story of Romy is a beacon of hope that seldom reaches publicity, yet poignantly displays the alternative outcome that affirms life when the right model of care is provided.
“When patients campaign for euthanasia, they can develop a sense of courage about what they are doing, which can buoy them along for a time.
“Yet there is a fundamental ambivalence about losing your life, and the good news for Romy is that she listened to this and stopped in time.”
Dr Kissane will discuss his research on demoralisation, which he discovered is a major contributor leading to a desire to die, when he delivers the 2024 annual Plunkett Lecture in Sydney on Wednesday.
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Averted euthanasia case a “beacon of hope” says Sydney researcher (By Marilyn Rodrigues, The Catholic Weekly)
