There have been a number of recent developments in the Death with Dignity movement. When I was in Massachusetts last week, I took a moment to sit down and chat with Michael Clarke, the Campaign Director at Dignity 2012, to get the latest news on their efforts. Read more about the work they're doing and what you can do to help citizens of a third state learn more about important end-of-life options proposed in the Death with Dignity Act initiative.

Peg Sandeen from Death with Dignity National Center: What's the goal of Dignity 2012?

Dignity 2012: Dignity 2012 is working to pass a Death with Dignity law, similar to the laws in Oregon and Washington. We're focused on a ballot initiative effort to present the question to the voters on the November ballot. As you know, this is the same process which was used to pass the laws in Oregon in 1994 and Washington in 2008.

PS: How has the reception been so far?

Last Sunday, the Boston Globe Magazine helped many Bay Staters learn more about the proposed Death with Dignity Act in Massachusetts. The magazine's feature, "Dying wishes", by Scott Helman contains a personal story about why two Massachusetts advocates volunteering their time in support of the ballot measure, outlines the facts of the measure, and highlights the history of Death with Dignity laws in other states.

Perhaps the most touching story from the article is that of Heather Clish. When her parents were visiting Heather in Massachusetts, her father was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor—the same type of cancer Senator Ted Kennedy had. An Oregonian, Heather's father knew of his state's Death with Dignity Act, and chose to request the prescribed medication while he received palliative care and his family enrolled him in hospice care.

When his pain and suffering became too great for the doctors to relieve, he decided to take the medication. Heather and her sisters were able to travel to Oregon to be with her dad in his final moments:

Dignity 2012 and the proposed Massachusetts Death with Dignity Act took another step forward toward the November ballot yesterday through the state's indirect initiative process.

As Peg Sandeen reported on our blog earlier, Dignity 2012 gathered 79,626 qualified signatures which were certified by the Commonwealth in December 2011. The initiative was then introduced to the Massachusetts House of Representatives and assigned to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary.

Yesterday, the Joint Committee held a hearing for this initiative as well as 56 other proposed laws. As mandated by the Massachusetts Constitution, this step was really more of a formality in the process.

The possible actions by the state legislature are:

Randee Laikind

Randee is a volunteer with Dignity 2012, and recently helped to collect signatures for the Massachusetts Death with Dignity effort. She's one of the founders of Hampshire County Hospice, served on their first Board of Directors, and was their first Volunteer Coordinator. She's also a member of the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Western Massachusetts, served as a Trustee, and was President of Western Massachusetts Hemlock Society for many years. She's provided support and education around death and dying issues to her community for over 30 years. She lives and works in western Massachusetts.

I recently had the honor to collect signatures here in Massachusetts for the initiative petition on Death With Dignity. I say it was an honor because this petition, if it makes it to the ballot box in November 2012, will afford those who choose to end their lives with dignity and respect the opportunity to do so.