Several months have passed since a fellow physician and dear friend of mine passed away peacefully, and I’ve since taken up the mantle of his work.
This is my first contribution to this publication in a while.
My hospital has seen a constant stream of consultations from patients and their families seeking information on death with dignity and euthanasia.
The number of these inquiries has especially risen over the last few years.
I recently had a few days off for summer vacation, which gave me the chance to put together some common knowledge that I believe everyone should be aware of.
When diagnosed with cancer, most patients and their families pour all their energy into “curing the disease.”
Chemotherapy is the most prominent example of this.
If treatment shows even the slightest positive effect, it’s easy to cling to the hope that “if we just keep going, maybe we can beat this.”
However, as a physician, I want to convey—through several concrete examples—that this hope can sometimes lead to tragedy.
