Jennifer's Choice - Dawn Stilwell

JENNIFER’S CHOICE: A STORY OF MEDICAL ASSISTANCE IN DYING

Medical assistance in dying became legal in Canada in 2016. Since then, thousands of terminally ill patients have taken advantage of their right to die. I never dreamed that my own sister would be one of them.

Early in the pandemic of 2020, my youngest sister Jennifer received the diagnosis of Stage IV inflammatory breast cancer at the age of 49. Her family and friends were witness to the depth of her inner strength and determination as she faced a barrage of cancer treatments. There was chemotherapy, surgeries and radiation; each one bringing with it the hopeful goal of helping to beat the cancer into remission.

In the summer of 2021, about 15 months into her cancer journey, it became evident that Jennifer was facing a losing battle. If all that medical science could offer her were treatments that diminished the quality of her life ,while doing little to beat back the cancer, she really saw no point in continuing them. She opted for palliative care only, knowing that the cancer would now run its course, unimpeded. Though controversial, she would ultimately choose to end her life.

Jennifer’s Choice is the poignant story of the final year and a half of Jennifer’s life, and chronicles not only her experiences, but also those of her family as we supported her to the best of our abilities under the circumstances. Consider the philosophical and ethical questions raised by her choice, and how we navigated the unknown waters of medically assisted suicide.

Author’s Notes

As you can probably imagine, this was a difficult book to write. It’s extremely personal but I’ve laid out, with heartfelt honesty, what this journey of medically assisted suicide looked like for my family. I felt this was a story that should be told as medical assistance in dying gains traction in our society. It is my hope that this book will help others facing a preplanned medical death in their family to know, not only what it is like, but that they are not alone. – Dawn

BOOK LAUNCHED JANUARY 31ST

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