Physician-assisted death could be legalized in New Mexico

[Judi Lynn]

Source: KOAT Albuquerque

Physician-assisted death could be legalized in New Mexico
Landmark case to be heard by a judge this week
Published 3:49 AM MST Dec 10, 2013
By Laura Thoren

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —New Mexico doctors could soon be legally allowed to help patients end their lives after a case goes to court this week.
Aja Riggs is one of the plaintiffs, and she knows all too well what it's like to battle a terminal illness. Riggs was diagnosed with uterine cancer two years ago.

"I went through many months of treatment including chemotherapy and radiation," Riggs said.

Riggs, 49, realized if she wasn't getting better, she wanted to have the choice to end the fight.

"I started thinking, I'm not really sure that if I'm going to die of cancer I want to go all the way to the end with it," Riggs said.

Right now, only four states allow physician-assisted death. They are Oregon, Washington, Vermont and Montana. Riggs and two New Mexico doctors are trying to make New Mexico the fifth.

Read more: http://www.koat.com/news/new-mexico/albuquerque/physicianassisted-death-could-be-legalized-in-new-mexico/-/9153728/23405642/-/enry6y/-/index.html#ixzz2n4TgBlTy

[Feral Child]

1. I hope they succeed.

I feel for Ms. Riggs. She's been through enough and should have the right to die with peace and dignity.

We do that for our pets (rightly so) and it's monstrous not to allow it for people.