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Celebrating Doctors Who Teamed up in Support of Medical Aid in Dying; Encouraging Early Planning with Your Doctor

8/30/2021

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​Who is the tough-looking team in this New York Times photo from 2005?

Standing behind my father, Dick Walters, are Dick Austin, MD, Carmer Van Buren, MD, David Babbott, MD, and Ginny Walters, PhD (co-founder of PCV). As Ginny writes today (at age 96), “Having MDs who became active in the campaign in the beginning of PCV’s work was really meaningful. Dick Austin wrote really good letters to the editor citing his experience as a physician. He never minced words." The NY Times article quoted Dr. Austin as saying, "I've seen some of my friends here die rotten deaths." He cited the long periods of heavy sedation and misery for terminally ill patients and their families. 

Dr. Dick Austin died at the age of 99 this past week.  

The New York Times article also included a picture of Dr. Diana Barnard, who spoke passionately about the need for Act 39 in the early days of the campaign. Dr. Barnard continues to serve on PCV’s Board of Directors, as does Dr. Jaina Clough, both palliative care physicians in the UVM Health Network.
 
We take this moment to honor these doctors.

Throughout PCV’s history, both practicing and retired doctors served on our Board of Directors and Advisory Board, including Dr. Don Robinson, Dr. Charles Gluck, Dr. Stephanie Barnes, and until this past summer, Dr. Fred Crowley, a retired radiologist and past president of the Vermont Medical Society.    

Medical aid in dying is now widely available in Vermont.

Dozens of physicians across the state have prescribed medical aid in dying under Act 39.  Oncologists and neurologists, along with palliative care doctors, being the specialists who serve the majority of terminally ill patients who qualify under Act 39, have the most experience.  

At the same time, many physicians are just now being asked by patients about medical aid in dying for the first time. That is often why it takes several conversations for people who are interested in  Act 39 to elicit a commitment from their physician to prescribe. Multiple discussions build trust in the relationship and confidence on the part of the doctor that the patient is making a well-considered and informed decision.

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The PCV team crafted our How to Talk to Your Doctor page to help guide you in these discussions.  As we describe the persistence often needed, it’s not about being aggressive or demanding; it’s about helping your physician understand how important this option is to you.  

​Requesting medical aid in dying requires planning.  Start early.

In recent conversations with patients on PCV’s hotline, we are seeing that many people wait until it is too late to navigate the medical and legal process of Act 39. People assume that it will be just like requesting any other medical treatment, not realizing that the law requires multiple steps with time in between, and that if their doctor is new to medical aid in dying, multiple meetings may be needed to help them come to the decision to support their choice.  

It is also the case that some people delay end-of-life discussions because they want to be focused on living and healing rather than dying. Paradoxically, having end-of-life conversations early can relieve a lot of uncertainty and help reduce fears and concerns.  In this way, early conversations about dying are life-giving.  We strongly encourage you to share this perspective with anyone who is living with a terminal disease. We are always here to listen and help patients and healthcare providers with Act 39 conversations.

With warm regards,
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​Betsy J. Walkerman, President
Please Donate, Your Generous Support is Deeply Appreciated
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PCV Provides Act 39 Update Programs for Hospice Nurses ...and a special thank you to our terrific volunteers

8/5/2021

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​Many thanks to all of you who made contributions in response to Patient Choices Vermont's (PCV's) Spring Fundraising appeal. With this strong community behind us, we can continue to offer a wide range of educational services and work to streamline Act 39. If you missed our spring communications, you can always donate online or by mail.
Click to Support Patient Choices Vermont
Patient Choices Vermont
PO Box 671
Shelburne, VT 05482

​ACT 39 UPDATE PROGRAMS FOR HOSPICE NURSES

​Patients and families who contact Patient Choices Vermont to learn more about medical-aid-in-dying almost always tell us how important and supportive their hospice nurses (and volunteers!) are. We deeply appreciate all of those who help provide hospice services. During discussions about end-of-life options including medical-aid-in-dying, Patient Choices Vermont always recommends the inclusion of hospice nurses as they are close to the patients, knowledgeable and compassionate, and able to serve as a trusted resource for discussions about end-of-life care and choices.

To support their services and expertise, PCV has been making the rounds to Vermont’s hospice programs to offer an update about what’s happening with Act 39 in Vermont. Here’s what’s included in PCV's 2021 Hospice Training and Update Programs:
  • New medication update
  • Proposed changes to Act 39 currently in the Vermont legislative pipeline
  • A "what Act 39 is and what it isn’t” review of the law’s requirements for both new and experienced nurses and volunteers
  • An opportunity to discuss situations on which participants would like guidance
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If you would like to schedule an educational session for your hospice organization, contact Toni Kaeding MS RN.

Toni Kaeding, MS RN, PCV Board Chair, is a nurse whose work has spanned clinical, academic, administrative, and policy positions in Vermont. She retired from the University of Vermont where she held both faculty and administrative appointments in the College of Nursing & Health Sciences. She was founding Director of the Freeman Scholars Program. In 2012, Toni was named recipient of the Founder’s Award by the Vermont Medical Society. She enjoys cross-country skiing and running and lives at the end of the road with her family in Worcester, Vermont. Toni handles the many calls PCV receives from patients and doctors. She helps educate students and community members.


​VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE PCV THANK-YOU NOTES, DATABASE, AND MORE

​People from all walks of life are drawn to volunteering with PCV, offering expertise, time and energy.

Barbara Deal: If you have made a contribution to PCV in the past couple of years, you have received a thank-you card from Barbara Deal, a resident of Bristol, VT. Barbara was Director Addison County Hospice in the mid '90's and has a long-standing belief in encouraging people to say what they want the end of their lives to be like. She commented, "It has been an honor to serve PCV in this limited but sincere way. I have two dear friends who chose to use Act 39 and I am full of gratitude to PCV who made their choice possible."

Ann Crocker: Many thanks to Barbara as she now passes this responsibility to Ann Crocker. As Ann says, "It is an honor for me to be able to contribute to Patient Choices Vermont by thanking our donors. Each donation supports the very important work of educating Vermonters so that people who terminally ill are aware of Act 39 and the choice that it offers."

Nancy Hawley: Nancy is a business consultant specializing in business processes, systems, and information and accounting solutions. She has supported various aspects of PCV’s work since its founding in 2002. She recommended, configured and continues to maintain PCV’s supporter database. Her expertise in business data systems helps provide PCV with intelligent information for planning our fund-raising campaigns, and communicating effectively with donors. Thank you, Nancy!

Jonathan Crocker: Jonathan helps fine-tune PCV’s communications, providing editing services and expertise in story-telling for PCV videos. He also tracks donations and keeps the supporter database accurate and up to date. Jonathan says, “I am humbled and inspired by the people whose stories I have encountered in this work; by both their courage and their generosity in sharing such deeply emotional journeys. Like them, I hope these stories help spread awareness of the value of medical-aid-in-dying, and can help others through the experience.”

​Congratulations New Mexico!

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​New Mexico’s new medical-aid-in-dying law just went into effect. Named for Elizabeth Whitefield, a long-time Albuquerque family law judge and attorney who did not live long enough to testify on behalf of the bill in 2019, the new law brings the option of support for peaceful death to New Mexico residents.

New Mexico is the tenth U.S. jurisdiction to enact a death with dignity law.


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PCV is People-Powered

5/30/2021

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​Thanks so much to donors from Randolph, Chester, Shelburne, Springfield, South Burlington, Hinesburg, Ferrisburg, Dummerston, Burlington, Hardwick, Newbury, Peacham, Warren, Salisbury, Underhill, East Thetford, Derby, Greensboro, Norwich, Weybridge, and many other towns.
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Photo by Joe Brusky
We are very grateful to all the people who have responded to PCV’s spring fundraising letter with generous contributions. Our education programs and our work to improve Act 39 are possible only with your support. Thank you for making end-of-life choice a priority in your giving. 

In the past month, PCV board members have given five educational seminars for healthcare providers and community members around the state. We've been pleased to respond to numerous requests for our brochure, Vermonter's Guide to Medical Aid in Dying, coming from churches, community centers, and hospice organizations. 

Our Videos make up the most popular page on our website. 

As one donor recently wrote, “The video of a woman going through the actual process of using Act 39 gave me a lot of reassurance. Keep up the good work!” 

People have had a particularly powerful response to our video of Karen Oelschlaeger. Karen was extremely grateful for medical aid in dying and chose to be an advocate even in the last week of her life when she spoke to a reporter from VPR. The recent Vermont Public Radio story powerfully framed the struggle that certain parts of the Act 39 process have on people seeking aid in dying.
​“I am always deeply impacted when I hear of someone whose end-of-life was made better by their having control at the end. I am eternally grateful to Karen and her family for sharing her story and her words in the recent VPR interview to help others have a better path as they near the end of their lives.” - former Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman (PCV Advisory Board Member)
Click to Support Patient Choices Vermont
May 20th was the eight-year anniversary of Act 39. Let us know that you're celebrating by making a donation of $88, or $888, or perhaps a multiple of $8, such as $48, or $96…be creative!

Many thanks, and happy spring!
Betsy Walkerman, President

Patient Choices Vermont
email: info@patientchoices.org
phone: 802.448.0542
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Help Strengthen Act 39! Dying People Only Get One Chance.

5/10/2021

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“Those 48 hours were a nightmare. Just the sheer emotional toll it took on my mother was so painful to watch.” - Duncan Allen-Burns, son of Dee Allen, who used aid in dying in Dec., 2020

When we heard Duncan’s words, we were more convinced than ever that we have to work hard for patient-focused improvements to Act 39.

Duncan was referring to the mandatory 48-hour delay that all patients must endure after all other parts of the rigorous Act 39 approval process have been completed. The Act 39 process also requires that two separate requests to use Act 39 be made at least 15 days apart — in the physical presence of the doctor.

“I could not wait to get through that timeline. Removal of that [in-person] requirement would be a huge relief.” - Karen Oelschlaeger

Karen was 37 years old and dying from stomach cancer. You can hear the pain and frustration in her voice on the PCV video as she describes the arduous process of traveling to required appointments.

We’re on it. Let’s tune up Act 39. 

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At PCV’s urging, Senate Bill S.74 was introduced in February, 2021 to make three important improvements to the law:

— First S.74 would adjust the timeline to eliminate the final 48-hour delay. 

This change would be a huge relief for people like Dee Allen. Dee’s health was deteriorating so quickly from a devastating neurological disease that she feared she would lose the ability to self-administer the medication while waiting the last 48 hours before the prescription could be written. As she expressed in her video on PCV’s website, this period seemed to have no purpose and caused needless suffering. 

— Second, S.74 would enable people to make their Act 39 requests via telemedicine.  

This change would remove a tremendous burden for people like Karen, for whom an hour-long ride to an appointment was a nightmarish experience. 

—Third, S.74 would correct a technical deficiency in the immunity clause of Act 39.

Act 39 currently provides legal immunity only for doctors. Access to medical personnel and pharmacists would be more consistent and predictable if legal immunity were explicitly spelled out for everyone involved in the process. 

When Act 39 was created, legislators placed great weight on preventing improper use of the law. The current process includes five qualification requirements, an eight-step process including certification by two doctors, and full documentation. (PatientChoices.org/act-39-overview) Now, with eight years of experience and zero reports of abuse, it’s time to listen to the people who the law is intended to serve and make proper use of the law less onerous for dying people. The next year will be critical for our work on S.74.

Patient Choices Vermont is the only Vermont organization focused on the rights of people who want the option of medical aid in dying.  
  • We provide the only aid-in-dying hotline to both doctors and patients in Vermont.
  • The PCV website PatientChoices.org provides the most comprehensive set of resources on medical aid in dying in Vermont. 
  • Our educational programs have trained hundreds of medical and hospice personnel and brought greater knowledge to community members across the state.
  • Our materials explain a person’s options in plain English. We are pleased to enclose our new brochure. We hope you find it useful and will share it with a friend.

Successful legislative work requires time, effort and, frankly, money.
Let’s help future Act 39 patients avoid needless suffering.

Click to Support Patient Choices Vermont
​We only fundraise twice a year. We count on you to determine how much end-of-life choice means to you.

Many thanks to all of you who have supported PCV’s work over the years. Thank you to those who give monthly, like a Netflix subscription. Thank you to our major donors who can afford and choose to give $1,000 or more to this important cause. Thank you to those who send notes of encouragement and share stories. Thank you to those who make gifts in honor of dear friends. All donations speak to the strength of our community and commitment to this basic civil right.

For me, the best part of this work is seeing the impact we have on such a meaningful time of life. From Dee Allen’s son, Duncan: “I couldn’t be more behind her decision, and that’s coming from a place of pure love. We really appreciate the work that you are doing. We’re very thankful our mom was in a state where she got to choose the way she went out.”

With appreciation,
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​Betsy Walkerman, President

Patient Choices Vermont
email: info@patientchoices.org
phone: 802.448.0542
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Media Highlights Changes Needed in Act 39

4/26/2021

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VPR reports: In Vt., Advocates Say Medical-Aid-In-Dying Patients Should Have Access To Telemedicine

In some of her final words before using medical aid in dying, Karen Oelschlaeger made a powerful statement advocating for improvements to Vermont’s Act 39. Vermont Public Radio (VPR) reporter Howard Weiss-Tisman interviewed her about a week before she died. VPR's report, published on April 20, includes statements from PCV Board Member, Dr. Diana Barnard and PCV President, Betsy Walkerman.
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(Click to read and listen)

Karen first contacted Patient Choices Vermont (PCV) last fall as she was navigating the Act 39 approval process with the hope that sharing her story would help others. She recorded her story in a video we produced and posted on our website a few months ago.

Karen was a prosecutor and advocate in the field of domestic violence. She loved spending time in the mountains and was strong, determined, and very grateful for Act 39. We mourn the loss of her commitment to service, her sharp wit, and her gentle nature.

We encourage you to help us let Karen’s family know how deeply meaningful and important it is that she continued to advocate for improvements to Vermont's Act 39 as long as she could. Please use our Contact Form to share your words, and we will compile all the messages to convey to her family on your behalf. You can also honor Karen by sharing the VPR story and the link to her video on the PCV website with your friends.

In these small ways, we can let her family know that Karen’s voice is making a difference.

NBC Channel 5 reports: Advocates propose three changes to Vermont's Aid in Dying law

Thank you to NBC Channel 5 for helping to bring medical-aid-in-dying stories to life. In this recent segment, they report on why Patient Choices Vermont (PCV) is proposing tune-ups to Act 39.
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Among the changes proposed in Senate Bill 74 is an adjustment to the patient’s timeline so that dying people won’t have to wait an extra 48 hours before receiving their medication after already spending weeks at appointments, filing a written request, and obtaining confirmation by two doctors.

In the words of Duncan Allen-Burns (son of Dee Allen whose video is featured on PCV’s website)... “Those 48 hours were a nightmare. Just the sheer emotional toll it took on her [his mother] was so painful to watch... I couldn’t be more appreciative of Act 39 and the work that you are doing. My mom was passionate about it.”

Hospice Volunteers and Staff Learn about Medical Aid in Dying

This spring, PCV is sponsoring several educational events for hospice personnel. A few weeks ago, PCV Board Member Dr. Jaina Clough hosted more than 50 UVM Hospice volunteers on zoom. Participants discussed the special role of hospice workers in providing neutral, trusted support, both in the qualification process under Act 39 and in connection with medical aspects of the process.

Two more sessions will be hosted by PCV Board Chair, Toni Kaeding, MS RN, in April and May for hospice organizations in Rutland and Brattleboro.

Act 39 patients consistently tell us how much they value the comfort their hospice workers provide. Thank you to all the people and organizations that make that work possible.
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Improvements to Act 39 are Moving Forward

3/5/2021

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Monitoring how Act 39 works for Vermonters who want to consider medical aid in dying is a key mission at Patient Choices Vermont (PCV). In recent emails we have discussed some of the challenges they face, especially in connection with the law's approval process. As Dee Allen, a recent recipient of medical aid in dying, says:
 
“The timeline requirements can make it so that you don’t have access to the law.”
 
Following a comprehensive review over the past nine months, PCV shared our findings with key legislators who have now introduced S.74 to modify Act 39 in important ways. The amendment would:
  • allow telemedicine for requests under Act 39, as is permitted in all other states that have similar laws,
  • improve the Act 39 request timeline, again in line with practices in other states,
  • and make the law's immunity provisions explicit and clear. 


These improvements can be achieved while retaining the comprehensive system of strong safeguards already in place under Act 39.

Please see our Act 39 and S.74 Summary for a greater explanation.

To bring real lives into the picture, we have completed another short video. Many thanks to Dee Allen and her family for sharing her story just a few days before she died in December, 2020.
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If you haven't yet seen the 5-minute video of Karen Oelschlaeger, please spend a few minutes to watch it as well on the Videos Page of our website.

Thank You and Congratulations: 

After many years as Co-chair and then Chair of the PCV Board, Neil Mickenberg has stepped down. PCV will continue to have the benefit of Neil’s experience and counsel as he has been named to the PCV Advisory Committee. Many thanks to Neil for partnering with me and the board to establish this organization as a strong education-oriented non-profit in the years following the passage of Act 39.

Congratulations to Toni Kaeding, who was elected Board Chair. Toni brings a wealth of experience as a retired nurse and nursing educator, and as the “voice of PCV,” answering calls from doctors, hospice nurses, patients, and families on our hotline for the past several years.

Welcome also, Samantha Stevens to the PCV Advisory Board. We met Samantha when her father, Eric Stevens, used medical aid in dying in 2016. A resident of the Northeast Kingdom, Samantha is committed to the rights of patients to determine their own end-of-life transitions. She hopes to help ensure that all people have access to the knowledge and resources needed to make these very personal choices in their own lives.  

Across the Country:

Congratulations to the sponsors and advocates for medical-aid-in-dying legislation who achieved passage of a new law in the New Mexico House of Representatives last week. The bill now moves to the Senate. Local New Mexico supporters have already consulted with PCV about how to plan for implementation. Similar legislation is pending in a number of states across the country.


​Thank you as always for your interest and support. As Dee Allen says in our new video,

“The gift is that I get to go out while I can still tell my children that I love them.” 

Your support helps make the creation of these poignant videos and all of PCV’s work possible. At a time when the legislature and much of the medical system are working hard via remote meetings, all of our best communication skills are needed to inform and provide a true sense of how aid in dying is having a profound impact on Vermonter’s lives.
Click to Support Patient Choices Vermont.
Many thanks.

Sincerely,
Betsy Walkerman, President

Patient Choices Vermont
email: info@patientchoices.org
phone: 802.448.0542
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"Karen's Story" | Our Latest Video

2/11/2021

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“I was suffering constantly…I cannot emphasize enough how much of a relief it has been to just have those medications in my possession.” - Karen Oelschlaeger, 36 year-old Vermonter suffering from stomach cancer who has qualified to use Act 39

Many thanks to Karen Oelschlaeger for so openly and articulately sharing her story. As we begin to update legislators on how Act 39 is working, stories like this one are very powerful. In addition to describing how grateful she is for the option of medical aid in dying, Karen illustrates how challenging it was for her to work through the process required by Act 39. She was especially challenged by the provision in the law that requires that both oral requests to the physician be made “in the physical presence” of the doctor, as opposed to through telemedicine, at a time when she was physically so debilitated. 
Please, take a few minutes to watch "Karen’s Story" below and
our entire collection of videos in PCV's Living While Leaving Series.
Do you have a story to share?

If you are considering using medical aid in dying or have attended the death of someone who has, and if you would like to share your story, please contact us. We would be happy to discuss the possibilities.

Welcome new PCV Board Members…
 
PCV is pleased to welcome former Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman to the PCV Advisory Board. David was the first legislator in 1998 to introduce an aid-in-dying bill in Vermont. He worked steadily along with many Vermonters to bring Act 39 to fruition in 2013. As David commented, “Every time I hear an aid in dying story it gives me pause to reflect that I have helped people in a very profound and intimate way...even if at the end of their lives.”

PCV is also pleased to welcome David Otto to the Board of Directors. David is the founding CEO of Otto & Associates, a holistic financial planning firm. He has previously worked as a pastor and pastoral counselor. We appreciate both his business perspective and his deep counseling experience.  ​
Click to Support Patient Choices Vermont
Thank you to all those who generously contributed to PCV with yearend donations. We appreciate your confidence and shared sense of mission. If you missed making a yearend contribution, please consider one now. Your funds will help us creatively and sensitively communicate how deeply important end-of-life choice is to all of us.
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Wishing You a Joyful & Peaceful Holiday Season

12/18/2020

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We were drawn to this classic covered bridge as a symbol of the beauty around us, our resilience as a community, and the importance of pausing now and then to remember what’s important. I’d especially like to thank local artist David Goodrich for donating use of the artwork. You can see more of his silkscreen prints and custom artwork at his website GoodrichInk.com. And thanks to Jonathan Crocker for composing the accompanying poem.

It has been quite an emotional week at Patient Choices Vermont, as we have just recorded the stories of two people who are planning to use medical aid in dying very soon. Their reflections are deeply moving and provide valuable feedback on how the process of medical aid in dying is working for patients. One of them told me, "I am preparing to go out in the most gentle way possible... while I can still tell my children that I love them.” It was also helpful to hear from her that our website's page How to Talk to Your Doctor helped her respectfully yet directly state her wishes to her physician and navigate a crucial part of the Act 39 process.

Your support helps make it possible to for us collect and share these stories as sensitive video presentations. We hope that that others may learn from their experience, as we have.

Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to PCV this year. If you have not yet made a donation in 2020, please consider what end-of-life choice means to you.
Click to Support Patient Choices Vermont
​With warm wishes for a joyful and peaceful holiday season,
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​Betsy Walkerman, President

Patient Choices Vermont
email: info@patientchoices.org
phone: 802.448.0542
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2020 Insights and Annual Fundraising

10/15/2020

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Act 39 Tune-ups - Step Up to the Challenge

​“In person.” “Face to face.” “Physical presence.” Meeting these sorts of requirements was once accepted as routine, but no longer in the Covid era. Fortunately, in healthcare, Covid-19 has accelerated adoption of telemedicine.

No such option currently exists for those seeking medical aid in dying in Vermont.

Vermont’s Medical Aid in Dying law (Act 39) requires both of the patient’s two oral requests to receive aid in dying to be in the physical presence of their doctor. As a result, many patients have found that the Act 39 process has become long and at times tragically arduous in the Covid-19 era.
 
The process need not be so difficult. Many meetings between patients and doctors during the Act 39 process are conversations, not examinations – the sort of provider-patient consultation that is well-suited to the strengths and efficiencies of telemedicine. For example, in states such as California, aid-in-dying consultations can be by telemedicine, providing great relief, especially to dying patients who are in pain or have difficulty moving.

We’re on it. The PCV board is now exploring corrections and tune-ups for Act 39.

Improvements can be achieved only by amending Act 39. In the process, we look forward to educating a new generation of state legislators and further solidifying Act 39 in the fabric of how Vermonters approach end-of-life care and decision-making. Updating Act 39 will require careful consideration, grass-roots support, and funding well above the budget level PCV has raised in the past few years.

Please help support this work. PCV is totally financed by people like you.

As one organization that donated to PCV explained:
"You have helped re-shape how Vermonters understand end-of-life options and built their respect for individual personal end-of-life decisions. Thank you for the important impact you have had in educating all Vermonters."

PCV is the only Vermont organization focused on medical aid in dying. 

We provide the only aid-in-dying hotline to both doctors and patients in Vermont. The PCV website PatientChoices.org provides the most comprehensive set of resources on medical aid in dying in Vermont

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​​Our educational programs, while currently somewhat curtailed, are vital. In January, the PCV program at the Dana Medical Library at UVM and the Grand Rounds conducted at the UVM Medical Center together drew more than 300 doctors and other medical professionals, with standing room only. Clearly more patients are asking about aid in dying, and more doctors are turning to PCV to help learn how to handle these conversations.

Your role remains very important. Every time you share your story, or simply inform a friend or candidate about your thoughts on end-of-life choice, you help bring deeper recognition to this important civil right. Please help us make sure that all Vermonters have access to the choices they may want to make. You may be surprised at how heart-warming our videos are. These are a great way to introduce friends to end-of-life conversations.

 The PCV 2020 Voter Guide (479 kb PDF) is now available online. 

We purposely avoided fund-raising last spring, understanding that our supporters were providing assistance to those in critical need. However, people with terminal illnesses continue to need our help. 

Please consider what End-of-Life Choice means to you. 

Legislative initiatives are far more expensive than the largely volunteer educational work PCV has funded in the past few years. 

Your Support is Vital | Click to Donate

Please donate online at PatientChoices.org/donate. You can also provide your support via stock donations or gifts in honor of anyone for whom end-of-life choice has been important. 

If you prefer, you may also send a check by mail to:

Patient Choices Vermont
P.O. Box 671
Shelburne, VT 05482


Your donation helps ensure that Vermonters have access to aid in dying. PCV is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Your contributions are tax-deductible. Please consider a donation of $30, $60 or, if you are able, $175, $500, or $1,000.

Many thanks for all donations, small and large, and all your messages of gratitude and encouragement. End of life is a deeply sensitive and personal time, one in which we all wish for peace, freedom, and connection. Considering aid in dying makes our last conversations open, intentional, and meaningful.

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New Videos and Resources

8/24/2020

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We just received word from Karin and Bill Schwanbeck that their new documentary is now published on Vimeo.

A year ago, they traveled to Vermont with their crew to interview Dr. Diana Barnard, Peggy Stevens and me, Betsy Walkerman, along with patients, doctors, and others in Connecticut. It’s a very engaging and sensitive film. Karin is a professor at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut and their hope is to influence the legislative process in their own state. You can watch the full 57-minute film online for free:
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The film serves to demonstrate that we Vermonters are having a major impact on legislation in other states.

​New Resource for Doctors and Patients:

We are pleased to announce that the newly-formed American Clinicians Academy on Medical Aid in Dying has launched a valuable website; ACAMAID.org includes some great videos and guidance for both patients and the medical community. In particular, we would recommend this video, which answers the question, “ What is it like on the day you take your medication? ” 
 
PCV Board member Dr. Diana Barnard serves as our state’s liaison to the board of the ACAMAID. The formation of this organization is strong evidence that aid in dying is finding its way into the mainstream of medical practice and end-of-life care.
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