9781422281338

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Background of Euthanasia P etta is 78 years old and suffers from amyotrophic later- al sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. This is one of the motor neuron diseases that progres- sively causes the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to dete- riorate , resulting in the body’s muscles growing weak and wasting away. At present, it is an incurable disease which, in most cases, leads to paralysis and death, usually from an inabil- ity to breathe. Petta is in the advanced stages of the disease and is considering the possibility of euthanasia , intentionally end- ing his life to prevent further suffering. Petta’s Story “My name is Petta. I was born in Denmark, although I now live in the Czech Republic. I suffer from ALS, have lost the ability

Some people believe that a person who is incurably ill should be allowed to die a dignified death.

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