Wednesday March 23, 2005

Press Release: Open Letter To United Future Mp Gordon Copeland Regarding His Public Comments About The Terri Schiavo Case

To United Future MP Gordon Copeland,

Yesterday afternoon, Tuesday March 22, public comments you made regarding the case of American woman Terri Schiavo were reported on Newstalk ZB.

You made the comment that you felt that Terri was being kept alive unnecessarily by machine and that her death as a result of the removal of her feeding tube would simply be a case of allowing nature to take its course.

Our organisation has been following this case for quite some time and we ask you to seriously reconsider your public comments in light of the following important points regarding the Case of Terri Schiavo:

1. Terri Schiavo is not being kept alive by machine. Her heart, lungs, kidneys, etc are all independently functioning.

2. The feeding tube that has been removed does not “keep her alive” in the same way that an artificial respirator, etc would. The feeding tube was inserted into her abdomen and provides her with fluids and sustenance. She has this feeding tube because she cannot swallow. This is not an extraordinary life support it is simply the method being used to provide Terri with a normal and humane standard of care.

3. Terri Schiavo will not die a peaceful or natural death if her feeding tube is not reinserted. She will starve and dehydrate to death. This is an excruciating and inhumane way to die. The tube does not keep her alive, it simply provides her with the fluids and sustenance that all of us need to survive.

4. There are many people in society who cannot eat or drink without assistance, ranging from new born babies to accident victims to the elderly and disabled. Terri’s “life support” situation is no different from theirs.

5. Terri is not brain dead she is suffering from brain damage.

6. Serious doubts have been raised about Terri’s exact medical condition. Some media providers have reported that Terri is in a Persistent Vegetative State despite the fact that 14 independent US medical professionals (6 of them neurologists) have either given public statements or testimony that Terri is not in a Persistent Vegetative State.

I am sure that after considering these facts that you will realise that Terri Schiavo is not having her life unnecessarily prolonged through the use of extraordinary means of life support.

There is no doubt that many countries, including our own, will be looking to the outcome of Terri’s case as a guide for future legislation regarding the legalisation of euthanasia.

Our desire is that Terri Schiavo is given the humane care and dignity that all people are entitled to when they find themselves in need of medical assistance. We are also concerned with seeing that the facts surrounding the case of Terri Schiavo are reported in a balanced and truthful way.

In light of the important points we have raised with you we implore you to publicly reconsider the media statements you have made regarding the Terri Schiavo case.

ENDS

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