From the 2006 annual report of Compassion and Choices of Oregon:-
2006 Summary of deceased clients
“Compassion and Choices of Oregon continued its role as the steward of Oregon’s unique aid-in-dying law. We served more than 140 clients during the year, 117 of whom died peacefully and humanely in great part because of our volunteers’ compassionate support.
“Of the 117 who died in 2006, 30 chose to hasten their death by taking medication prescribed under Oregon’s aid-in-dying law, and nine died after voluntarily stopping eating and drinking. In 2006 we also helped prevent seven violent suicides from occurring (clients who expressed the intent to take their lives by violent means and had the means to do so, but changed their minds after working with our volunteers).
“We also helped more than two dozen clients and others receive better pain management, referred 37 clients to hospice care, referred others to religious/spiritual counselors, and mailed or emailed more than 3,000 brochures and other materials to our supports.
“Compassion and Choices of Oregon has participated in 73 percent of all aid-in-dying cases since l998. Compassion estimates that 40 to 45 hastened death occurred statewide in 2006. Compassion assisted 30 of them.”
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Compassion and Choices of Oregon, PO Box 6404, Portland, OR 97228, USA.
Telephone: +503-525-1956
Email: or@compassionandchoices.org
web site: www.compassionoforegon.org
