Woman Victimized by Oregon Assisted Suicide Law Urges Washington to Vote No
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
October 28, 2008
Olympia, WA (LifeNews.com) — An Oregon woman who was victimized by the state’s assisted suicide law is urging Washington voters to oppose I-1000, the ballot measure to make the state the second to legalize the grisly practice. Barbara Wagner found out Oregon would pay for a suicide but not medication to treat her cancer.
Wagner found out in May that her lung cancer, in remission for about two years, was back.
After her oncologist prescribed a cancer drug that could slow the cancer growth and extend her life, Wagner was notified that the Oregon Health Plan wouldn’t cover it. It would cover comfort and care, including, if she chose, assisted suicide.
Wagner has recorded an ad for the group opposing the Washignton assisted suicide measure urging voters to reject I-1000.
"My first reaction when I found out that I had lung cancer was fear," Wagner explains in the ad.
"The doctor was hopeful and has something he really wanted to try me on," Wagner says. "Unfortunately, they were unable to approve the request."
"They would pay to kill me but would not pay to give me the medication to try to stop the growth of my cancer. People of Washington, don’t vote this in," she concludes.
Attorney and author Wesley J. Smith responded to the new ad saying Wagner’s ordeal "is the future if we accept the death agenda."
"In this No on I-1000 Ad, Barbara Wagner–who has since died–urges Washingtonians to vote no. May they heed her call," Smith explains.
After rejecting the funds for her medication, a representative of the pharmaceutical company called Wagner and told her it would provide the medicine for free.
Smith says Wagner’s case wasn’t the first time Oregon urged assisted suicide instead of medical treatment.
"A few years ago a patient who needed a double organ transplant was denied the treatment but would have been eligible for state-financed assisted suicide. But not to worry. Just keep repeating the mantra: There are no abuses with Oregon’s assisted suicide law. There are no abuses. There are no abuses," he said.
Related web sites:
See the ad at – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36nlylod0rY
Coalition Against Assisted Suicide – https://www.noassistedsuicide.com
Sign Up for Free Pro-Life News From LifeNews.com
Daily Pro-Life News Report Twice-Weekly Pro-Life
News Report Receive a free daily email report from LifeNews.com with the latest pro-life news stories on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here. Receive a free twice-weekly email report with the latest pro-life news headlines on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here.
