Welcome to the AZELO Newsletter!

September 15, 2021

This Issue's Contents

Conversation with your Neighbor
Volunteer Corner
Action Teams Progress Update
Meet Jan Campos, Action Team Leader
News around the US: California
Upcoming Events
Donate!

Conversation with your Neighbor

by Dr. Dwight Moore, Chair

“Jennie, John and I spent an interesting afternoon yesterday. We drafted our “living wills.” What a journey! Have you and Bill done that?”

“No, exactly what is that?”

“A living will (also known as an Advance Directive) clarifies what medical procedures you want and do not want in case of emergency or for end of life care. The Arizona Attorney General’s office has the forms under “Life Care Planning.”

“So how does it work?”

“Well, we downloaded the Living Will form, designated each other as our medical power of attorney, then talked about what extraordinary efforts or not we wanted from first responders (medics, firefighters, emergency room professionals). We want choice at the end of life rather than being whisked into the ER and hooked up to all the machines.”

“We will have to look into that”.

“One of the things we discovered is that Arizona does not have a medical aid in dying law so if we were terminally ill and didn’t want to face months of pain and discomfort, we would not be eligible to ask for a prescription to die with dignity. 10 states have such laws but Arizona does not.”

“Arizona doesn’t have that law?”

“No, for the past number of years the legislature has refused to hear the medical aid in dying bill. Each year the bill is submitted for consideration. A volunteer group called Arizona End of Life Options has been working toward getting it passed.”

“Is that the same as physician-assisted suicide?”

“Some people call it that, but no, it is not suicide. We learned that eligible patients are already faced with a terminal illness, they must be of sound mind. They want to live, not die, but their terminal illness is inevitable. Patients who use this medication are clear-headed, calm, and comfortable that they are making the right end-of-life decision for themselves.”

“So how would we find out more about this?”

“For the forms, go to the state Attorney General’s website and look for Life Care Planning. To learn more about medical aid in dying, go to www.azendoflifeoptions.org to see what Arizona End of Life Options is doing.”

Volunteer Corner

With summer travels behind us, now is a good time to check-in and get the latest AZELO news. There is a lot happening within the AZELO Action Teams as we prepare for increased contact with legislators this fall and into 2022. If you haven't been invited to join the action team in your legislative district, perhaps we don't have your current contact information. Drop by Kem's open office on September 17 between 1:00 and 3:00 with your questions about AZELO's action teams or any other topic on your mind.

Click here on September 17th between 1:00 -3:00 pm to attend

Want to learn about volunteering with AZELO? Click here: Volunteer

Action Teams Progress Update
by Kem Ellis, Volunteer Coordinator

We’re continuing to make good progress with organizing the Action Teams, but we still need more MAID advocates to step up to the plate. We are focusing on finding leaders for each team whose job will be to keep the other Action Team members informed. As of the release of this newsletter, just 30% of the leader positions are filled. Have you thought about volunteering but haven't as yet? Now's the time, join us!

Action Teams are made up of residents in each of the 30 legislative districts in Arizona who are willing to help educate and advocate for medical aid in dying in their district. These opportunities include distributing MAID literature to neighbors and at community events, and contacting or meeting with their legislators to advocate for MAID. There is a wide variety of activities so you will be able to find a job that you enjoy. If you would like to learn more about becoming an Action Team leader, contact AZELO Volunteer Coordinator, Kem Ellis, at k.ellis@azendoflifeoptions.org.

If you are not available to be a leader, we still need you! Our goal of 20 members per team is attainable, but only if people step up to the plate. Join the Action Team in your district now. Complete the Action Team signup form and Kem Ellis will contact you.

A particular need is in the following legislative districts: LD4, Gila Bend; LD5, Kingman; LD7, Winslow; LD8 Coolidge; LD19, Avondale; LD29, Glendale; LD30, Phoenix. If you have friends or family in these areas, please call and encourage them to participate!

Help pass a medical aid in dying law in Arizona by joining your AZELO Action Team today!

Meet Jan Campos, Action Team Leader for LD 9

If I can lead an Action Team, I'm sure anyone can! Recovering from surgery this past summer did crimp my style just a bit as I was dealing with pain and pain killers, going to follow-up appointments, and resting a LOT, but I still managed to attend several Zoom meetings and complete my Action Team Leader homework!

Our Volunteer Coordinator, Kem Ellis, has given me 20 names of LD 9 residents who have expressed an interest in either serving as a member of our team or learning more about what we will be doing, and I've been steadily emailing and calling these people. So far I have 6 commitments to serve on our LD 9 team, so I still have work to do. After I have finished with the list Kem has given me, I plan to recruit some neighbors that I know and to advertise on NextDoor and several Facebook pages from my district to find other passionate MAID followers who have the desire to help us get this law passed.

This is the building phase of AZELO's Action Team project, where we hope to get at least 20 members in each legislative district. Once I have a robust membership in LD 9, we will then be ready to start the action phase of this very important project.

If you are passionate about the right to die with dignity, then please sign up to serve on or lead an Action Team. This campaign won't succeed without a strong collective voice demanding the passage of MAID legislation in Arizona.

News Around the US: California Amendment SB380
by Mary Ganapol, AZELO Volunteer

Further to our May 15^th newsletter article about the California End of Life Options Act, amendment SB380 passed by a large majority on Sept. 10, 2021:

              Senate Floor vote: 26-8 in favor
              Assembly Floor vote: 51-16 in favor

The bill is now headed to Governor Newsom's desk for signature.

The California End of Life Options Act has been in effect since 6/9/2016 and part of the amendment now eliminates the “sunset clause” which stipulated the law would expire 1/1/26. Now it is in effect until 1/1/2031.

The amendment also:
1) Reduces the time between two oral requests from 15 days to 48 hours,
2) Eliminates the need for an additional final attestation form
3) Strengthens the wording about healthcare providers having the ability to easily opt-out, and
4) Adds that “Each health care entity shall post on the entity’s public internet website the entity’s current policy governing medical aid in dying.”

While removing some barriers to accessibility, the core spirit of the law still exists. We are watching states exercising due diligence, examining the decades of available data, and adjusting the minutia of the law accordingly. The California Medical Association and California Hospital Association changed from opposing to a neutral position when adjustments were made to the amendment.

Kudos to the bill sponsor, Senator Susan Eggman. She no doubt worked tirelessly as the amendment made its way through various committees (Health, Judiciary, Appropriations).   Perhaps her experience as a former hospice worker and her PhD in social work helped in her efforts to educate her fellow California lawmakers.

Upcoming Events

Dr. Tom Fitch will present the six choices we all have at the end of our lives including medical aid in dying in those states where it is legal. Come with your questions and comments about end-of-life issues.

Click here to register. Your zoom link will be emailed to you:
Six Choices Webinar on September 19th

Join Compassion & Choices (Arizona End of Life Options national partner) for an evening of celebratory milestones, inspirational stories, and fun entertainment on Wednesday, October 6th. This inspirational fundraising event will provide the financial support Compassion & Choices (C&C) needs to continue their vital work to transform the delivery of care at life’s end.

WHAT: Power, Purpose, and Promise: A Fundraiser to Benefit Compassion & Choices

WHEN: Wednesday, October 6, 2021, at 5 p.m. MT / 4 p.m. PT

WHERE: Wherever you are! This is a virtual online event.

COST: The event is complimentary, with a $50 suggested minimum donation.

October 6th is the second annual event for Compassion & Choices and will feature insights from influential storytellers, shared in their own words, updates and observations by C&C President and CEO, Kim Callinan, and much more!

Click here to register for the event

If you have any questions about the event, please contact AJ Hetzler at ajhetzler@compassionandchoices.org or 406-552-2916.

The League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson welcomes a panel of experts from various fields to discuss this often misunderstood, always interesting end-of-life option, also known as death with dignity.

When: Saturday, September 18th from 10:00 - 11:30 am

Two ways to Join via Zoom:

1) Just, copy this link and paste it into your browser when the event begins:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87895992004?pwd=MTYyQW5ITytMT3RzNTNVcEd0MFNPUT09
Passcode is 117693

2) Go into Zoom with this ID and Passcode:
ID 87895992004 Passcode 117693

Click here to view the flyer

A special thanks to AZELO Volunteer Mary Ganapol for coordinating this event!

Click Here to Donate to Arizona End-of-Life Options

Arizona End-of-Life Options
https://azendoflifeoptions.org