Enforcing the "Right to Die":The Case of Terri Schiavo

Life Issues ^ | August 2003 | Nancy Valko

[MarMema]

Terri WebsiteWith videos!

[MarMema]

Please remember to pray for Terri's attorneys as they battle the culture of death, in addition to Terri and her family.

The very morbid idea of having to stand by day after day and watch your daughter die of starvation and dehydration must be ever present in the minds of her parents.

[MarMema]

ping!

[MarMema]

Nancy Valko is a very committed and involved Catholic, so please don't think she is Catholic-bashing here.

[MarMema]

Nancy Valko, RN, a contributing editor for Voices and long-time advocate of patients with disabilities, writes the regular "Bioethics Watch" column for Voices. A Registered Nurse since 1969, she is president of Missouri Nurses for Life. She is a spokesman for the National Association of Pro-life Nurses, a board member of Missouri Right to Life, and past co-chair of the Saint Louis Archdiocesan Pro-Life Committee.

Currently working in intensive care, Mrs. Valko has served on several medical and nursing ethics committees and has given speeches and workshops around the country on medical ethics issues. She is also used as a consultant on ethical issues for individuals and groups, and has served on the board of the Saint Louis Down Syndrome Association and is active in the field of disability advocacy. She has worked as a volunteer for children with disabilities, people with severe brain injuries, and bereaved parents.

She has appeared on many radio and television shows on various medical, ethical, and pro-life topics; and she has written on this topic for The National Catholic Register, the National Right to Life News, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, First Things magazine and other publications.

"I have personally cared for many relatives with a variety of physical or mental disabilities, including my mother with Alzheimer's and terminal cancer and a daughter, Karen, who was born with Down Syndrome and a severe heart defect. Although both are now deceased, the influence of my mother and daughter has positively motivated my activities in medical ethics and working for greater support for people and families dealing with disabilities, chronic illness and terminal conditions", she writes. Mrs. Valko and her three children live in St. Louis

[Pegita]

.

[MarMema]

ping for when you have time...

[passionfruit]

I wish this young woman had prepared a living will. She could havesaved her husband and parents this heart wrenching pain.

[kimmie7]

ping

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

bump

[sfRummygirl]

Bump

[sfRummygirl]

!!!!!

[sfRummygirl]

BUMP

[sfRummygirl]

bumppppppppp

[sfRummygirl]

BBBUUUMMMPPPP>>>>>>

[sfRummygirl]

This bump is for Michael Schaivo....
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
...Get it?

[INSENSITIVE GUY]

Did she ever say she wanted to die?I doubt it.Where do they come up with this"right to die"nonsense?A right must be exercised by the person wanting it not by someone else.

[sfRummygirl]

Hey, Michael, from on DAGO to another....one word...."Stunade".

[sfRummygirl]

Seriously, let's pray that Michael let's Christ into his heart.
I'm serious about that.

[MarMema]

It seems that currently even stating you want to live, once you have a legal guardian, has no meaning in court.
I can provide some examples if you like, or you can read some of the links on my FR page....
The story near the bottom on Michael Martin is one example, as I recall.