Act Now: Make Your Donation Count This Month!

Live How You Like, Leave How You Like

In many ways, time has been moving very slowly lately. We have been waiting since June when the Senate passed the Medical Aid in Dying Bill for the governor to sign it into law. She has been fairly quiet about what she is planning to do, so we have been forced to (not so) patiently wait for her decision.

And also, we have been incredibly busy doing everything we can do to make sure she understands her constituents’ support for this bill and provide all of the awareness and support we can.

At the same time, we are hyper focused on making sure the bill is implemented smoothly as soon as it is signed. We have been working with the Academy of Aid-in-Dying Medicine, doctors and healthcare providers, and others in the end of life field to be as prepared as we can be when the law is finally enacted.

All of these endeavors are quite expensive, and all of you have been coming through with donations this month! As you hopefully know, we have a $30,000 match for all gifts in November, which our donor has graciously extended through next week to include Giving Tuesday. We are currently still several thousand dollars away, so anything you can do to help would be incredibly appreciated.

Because of all of your generous support in the past, New Yorkers have become more curious and educated about all of their end of life options. Which means the need for our services only continues to grow. We receive calls and emails almost daily about how to access VSED (voluntarily stopping eating and drinking), hospice and palliative care, pain management and advance care planning materials. We reply to everyone that reaches out, and with our small staff of just 2 full-time employees, we know we will need more resources next year. Your donations will help us to stay resourced to answer your questions, educate the public and private sectors about medical aid in dying, and create more resources as the need grows.

Please join our end of year campaign and donate generously today. Wishing you and your families a very happy holiday.

Sincerely,

Mandi Zucker, LSW
Executive Director

Recent Events & Updates

Join Us Around the State!

We have several free and open-to-the-public events in the next few weeks, both online and in person. Join us:

• The Completed Life Initiative will be hosting a series of conversations focused on Medical Aid in Dying on December 3 and December 17, both at 6 PM. A third one will be in January. Join them on zoom and register here.
• Legacy League, December 11 from 10-11:30 on Zoom. A Legacy League is End of Life Choices New York’s version of a “Death Cafe”—an informal, no-agenda get-together to talk about death and dying…. I know that sounds scary, but I hope this space allows us to move through that fear together in an affirming, community-driven space. It may also sound interesting, so let’s drive that curiosity to fuel conversations with our neighbors and new friends. Contemplating what death is actually demystifies it and lifts the veil so please come and share so that the weight can be lifted a little and you can breathe again. I know this may sound weird, but, hey, life and death are weird and we’re all in this together. However you might be feeling, this is the space for you. Please come and share your thoughts and emotions on death. Register here.
• Meet-n-Greet, December 17 from 12- 1 PM on Zoom. Join us for a one-hour information session to understand our mission and the work we are doing on behalf of terminally-ill New Yorkers. Introduce yourself and be prepared to be inspired by the work! Register here.

End of Life Choices New York in the News

We have had quite a busy few weeks, keeping the spotlight on the need to pass Medical Aid in Dying into law in New York. Our Executive director has been busy organizing events, talking to the media, and sharing our organization on podcasts and TV. If you haven’t already seen the interviews on CBS or Fox 5 news, you can watch them here and here. We also hosted a beautiful event in Scarsdale with Amy Paulin, the lead sponsor of the bill in the Assembly. You can read the press release about that event here. Thank you to everyone who showed up for that event, helped us light 2500 electric candles, or spoke about why this option is so important to them. In addition, Mandi was interviewed on The End of Life Conversations Podcast, which drops today. Check it out when you some time.

NY State Bar Association Encourages Letters of Support to Governor Hochul

We are thrilled that the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) is encouraging their members to reach out to Governor Hochul to share your support of medical aid in dying with her. End of Life Choices New York was instrumental in educating the NYSBA on this bill and in ultimately securing their support. We are incredibly thankful that they not only support the bill but also are actively helping to make sure that Governor Hochul is aware of the incredible, respected agencies that support this option.