Medical Aid in Dying Progress Continues

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Last month, we debuted our first installment of The Deadly Dish: Stories and Discussion on Life, Death and Everything in Between. Our first episode highlighted Brooke Eby, a young woman with ALS who spoke about her own end of life planning and her questions about Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD). It was very-well received, with over 64,000 views on Instagram alone.

Recent Events & Updates

March Meet-n-Greet Scheduled

Meet-n-Greets are our way to get to know you, and to live our mission of normalizing conversations about death and dying. We encourage EVERYONE to attend one meet-n-greet and introduce yourself to us! We take one hour to share our work, get to know you, hear from people about why we advocate for medical aid in dying, and engage in a short activity that sparks conversation about end of life. It’s a free, inspiring way to get a little more involved with us.

Join us at the next meet-n-greet on March 19 at 12:00 PM. Registration is free but required. Register here.

The Progress on Medical Aid in Dying Continue

End of Life Choices New York recently kicked off a community education campaign in support of medical aid in dying legislation. This campaign will seek to educate community members and our elected officials of the importance of providing New Yorkers with access to medical aid in dying.

In the past few weeks the campaign has hired a campaign manager and a field organizer, brought on a media consultant, developed a four-month work plan, began developing video marketing materials, and initiated polling in several key legislative districts. Polling is an important tool to help educate lawmakers that are unsure whether their constituents support a specific issue.

With passage of medical aid in dying legislation inching closer to reality, it’s our hope that this effort will help contribute to the day when Governor Hochul signs the bill into law. We’ll keep you updated on the campaign’s activities in the coming months.

If you would like to help support these efforts during the next four critical months, please make a donation.

Upcoming Trainings

• Our next Legacy League Forms Tutorial is tomorrow night, March 6th at 7:00pm. Register for free by clicking here, get the Zoom information in your email, then head over to our website to review the forms we will be covering. During the tutorial, our program director will go through each form in detail and you will have the opportunity to ask questions. Spread the word!

• Save the date! The Barbara Swartz Annual Lecture for 2025 is now scheduled for the evening of May 1st. We are excited to offer a virtual program this year featuring two exciting presenters, Thadeus Pope, JD, PhD, HEC-C, a law professor and bioethicist, and Carol Abolafia, the daughter of Barbara Goodfriend (the woman who was featured on the CBS News story several weeks ago). We are closer than ever to passing New York’s MAiD legislation and this would be a great opportunity for the public to have all their questions answered. Want to get a jump on registration? Click here and add it to your calendar!

If you can, please help us spread the word about this lecture! If you would be willing to engage your social media audience, put up flyers, make phone calls, or anything else to increase attendance, please reach out to our program director at aaron@eolcny.org.

• Our next Volunteer Training Session is coming up on March 13th at 7pm on Zoom. This session is for folks interested in providing support for New Yorkers who reach out regarding their terminal diagnosis, questions about hospice, and other healthcare options like VSED. Please register here and invite any who might be interested in joining us!

Fundraiser in Bedford, NY on April 10th

Do you live near Bedford and would like an opportunity to come meet us in person and support our work? Board member Kristen Karlberg has generously offered to open her home to a Meet-n-Greet Fundraiser and we would love for you to be our guest. Come hear from our Executive Director, Mandi Zucker, and our Senior Consultant, David Leven, about the work we are doing and how your financial gifts support this work. The evening event is free to attend and we will ask for a donation before you leave. Reach out to Mandi if you would like an invitation. Click here for a Save the Date.

Ask Us Anything

Q: We know that most New Yorkers want Medical Aid in Dying. So what is the hold up to passing the bill?

A: Getting a bill passed is more than just taking a vote. In New York, the bill must go through a process before it is voted on and sent to the Governor for final approval. To learn more about how to pass a bill in New York, click here.

If you have a question you’d like answered, send it here!