Meet the video interviewees
We are grateful to those who generously shared very personal stories to assist others.
Don Ayre
After living with heart illness for many years Don Ayre’s wife Jean chose to die with MAiD, with her family by her side. She wanted to be very open about her choice to have MAiD, said goodbye to friends and family and died in the way that she wished.
Melody Bodnarchuk
Melody’s younger sister Connie chose to have MAiD after her lung cancer diagnosis. Melody and Connie spoke openly about Connie’s end of life wishes and Connie found great comfort in having control over her own death. Melody lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Dr. Sandy Buchman
Dr. Sandy Buchman is a palliative care physician and a past President of the Canadian Medical Association. He is the inaugural Freeman Family Chair in Palliative Care Chair and the Medical Director of the Freeman Centre for the Advancement of Palliative Care at the North York General Hospital.
Dr. Francois de Wit
Dr. Francois de Wit is the territorial chief of staff for the territory of Nunavut and a palliative care doctor. During his time as the chief of rural medicine for Central Health, in Newfoundland, Dr. de Wit was a provider of MAiD.
Honor
Honor cared for her father, Tim, at the end of his life and advocated, by his side, for his decision to have MAiD. He died peacefully, surrounded by family, at the age of 79.
Anna-Maria Laughlin
Anna-Maria’s brother Jim developed cancer in his neck and after several surgeries and treatment regimes he chose to die with MAiD. Due to her background in healthcare, Anna-Maria was able to support and speak openly to Jim regarding his choice about how he wished to control his end of life.
Darla-Jean Lindstrom
Darla-Jean Lindstrom is Tagish-Tlingit First Nation with European ancestry. She works as First Nations Liaison at Whitehorse General Hospital and with Carcross Tagish First Nation implementing their family act. She is currently doing a degree in social work.
Dr. Sally McDonald
Dr. Sally McDonald has been a family doctor in the Yukon for 40 years. She also worked extensively in oncology and palliative care. Dr. McDonald was very involved in making sure that individuals living in rural communities in the Yukon had access to MAiD.
Micha Menczer
Micha’s wife Valerie was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer when she was 68 years old. Valerie decided, with the loving support of her family, to die with MAiD.
Fred Nelson
Fred Nelson has worked in the Manitoba palliative care community as a clinician, consultant and teacher. Fred is a social worker with the provincial MAiD clinical team, providing support to patients, families and healthcare providers as patients consider MAiD as an option.
Tara Noble
Tara Noble is an Individual, Couples and Family Therapist with a private practice in Toronto. During her time at Dr. Jay Children’s Grief Centre, Tara specialized in grief and bereavement counselling for children and families.
Marney Thompson
Marney Thompson is a bereavement counsellor with extensive experience in hospice, hospital and community settings. She is also a registered clinical counsellor and maintains a private practice. As coordinator of the Victoria Hospice Bereavement Program, in addition to her clinical work, Marney is also involved in education, research, and advocacy within Canada and abroad.
Kari Urquhart
Kari Urquhart died of MAiD shortly before her 53rd birthday. Kari lived with kidney failure for 35 years and being able to chose MAiD, knowing that she had control over how she would die, gave her great comfort and peace.
Dr. Kim Wiebe
Dr. Kim Wiebe is a physician who provides MAiD and is the Medical Director, Shared Health Manitoba MAiD services.