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The Statewide Chapter of End-of-Life Choices (formerly Hemlock Society)
P.O. Box 12126 • Tucson, AZ 85732 • Toll Free 1-877-535-3600 • E-mail: [email protected] • Web: www.choicesarizona.org
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Spring/Summer 2004
Possible Reunificationwith Compassion in DyingConference Call withDavid Brand 5/5/04
O U R N E W S L E T T E R“VOICES OF CHOICES”
donors, and 30,000–40,000 who giveoccasionally.
About 30% are “members” ofboth. The reunited group would bea pure membership organization, asEnd of Life Choices is now.
Financially: People are nowbeing solicited by “competing”agencies.
There is now some redundancyof services that could be eliminated.There would be greater marketingpower.
Compassion is more of a serviceorganization. Theirs is a communitybased service model.
From David: “We’re just in themiddle of the beginning of this wholeprocess!”
Again, nothing has been decided.It looks like there will be no namechange. It looks like we maybecome better, not just bigger. AndNational will keep us informed inthe process. ■
— JLA
Regarding reunification withCompassion in Dying: Thereare now about 60–70 people
who are assigned to 7 design teamsexploring what would be involved, ifit makes sense, and how it might work.The visions and the core values ofboth organizations are identical.
The seven teams are: Legislative,legal, fundraising/development,membership, communications/PR,local groups/chapters, and client ser-vices (e.g. Caring Friends).
The key question is: What is thebest case we can build for unificationin each of these 7 areas?
Governance and Administrationhave yet to be determined.
Nothing will be decided until adraft is vetted with chapter leadersand members. The feasibility studyis critically important.
End of Life Choices has about33,000 members and another 10,000donors. CID has about 11,000 regular
Please note: These comments are only discussion, not decisions or policy.
CONTENTS
What are YOU doing to spread the word?
Fred Richardson Tour ....... 2State Board Meeting .......... 3Book Review........................ 3Contacts .............................. 4How You Can Help .............. 4Executive Director Speech .. 5Chapter Meetings ............... 6Ideas That Work ................. 6New Leaders ....................... 7Phone Tree .......................... 8Alert to Strokes .................. 8Sympathy Notes ................. 92003 Survey Results ........ 10Torture in America .......... 11PCCA .................................. 11More Important Dates ..... 12“Oh So Attractive” Centerfold
END OF LIFE CHOICES SEEKS TO
LEGALIZE ALL THE OPTIONS FOR ONE
WHO IS TERMINALLY ILL AND MENTALLY
COMPETENT TO DETERMINE THEIR OWN
LIFE’S END, INCLUDING FREEDOM FROM
UNNECESSARY PAIN AND SUFFERING
DURING THE LAST PART OF LIFE.
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Arizona ChaptersHear Fred Richardson
From April’s State Tour with FredRichardson, here are some samplecomments from chapter leaders:
“The meeting was great! It felt likea pulling together of everything goingon at this point in the org. Wherepeople stand. It was good to hear it allvocalized instead of just read about. Itmakes it more real to have people hear-ing it and responding. The info on thePCCA is particularly important. Itcould be a big breakthrough.”
— Severy Partridge, Flagstaff
State Tour withFred Richardsona Success!
Fred Richardson, former Presi-dent and current Board Memberof End-of-Life Choices has been
visiting the chapters with his messageof strategy and perseverance with ourquest for a PCCA (Patients’ Comfortand Control Act).Points he made:1. We shouldn’t become bogged down
in semantics, rather we need to “dosomething”.
2. We shouldn’t take the referendumroute. It costs too much and it canturn on you. Lucky for us, we haveLinda Lopez to help us introducea bill.
3. We need a lobbyist in Phoenix. Thiswill cost some money, but lobby-ists can be very effective.
4. Be careful of the words you use inyour letters and your conversationswith legislators. Sprinkle “choice”and “safeguards” throughout yourletters, discussions, emails, etc.Don’t let the opposition insert theword or implication of “coercion”into their argument, and correctthem if they try to use “suicide”.We should take up all the “lifeaffirming” words. Look at life
The dramatic presenter, Dr. Richardson
7. We need to organize phone trees tofind those willing to meet with ourlegislators. We need to organizeinto two groups of six to tag teamthe negative voters in the legisla-ture. Include local opinion makersin your groups. Don’t have thegroup members overlap. Knowyour arguments cold so you canstep right in and get the right wordsin the air. Meet ahead of time toclarify who will play what role —not everyone need speak.
Representative Linda Lopez tookFred to a legislative open house and hetalked up our cause. He says our let-ters have had an effect. “They’re be-ginning to think about it”, says Fred.Our letters and phone calls keep theissue alive in the minds of our legisla-tors. Let’s all work towards getting thathearing next time. ■
“I was very satisfied with our meeting.I really didn’t think we would get anyvolunteers to run the chapter. I am inawe of your success in that endeavor.Fred was excellent.”
— Paul Sachs, Sun Cities
“That was an outstanding meeting inSedona. You and Fred are a dynamicteam, and I believe the positiveapproach and emphasis on patientchoice and autonomy is the one thatwill achieve our goals.”
— Jack Baldwin, Sedona(pictured below)
Fred’s tour also yielded threephysicians willing to serve on ourPhysician’s Advisory Group; two vol-unteers to become Caring Friends; newleadership in Sun Cities (now calledNW Valley); an excellent Press Con-ference; a greater understanding by ourmembers of the PCCA; a new candi-date for State Board; and a new per-spective: focus on the language of life,not death.
— JLA
insurance: it is really about moneypayable upon death. An advancedirective is a statement of principleabout what you want toward theend of life.
5. We need to beat the bushes foryounger people and doctors whoare mid-career and will speak infavor of our position. We shouldalso find community opinionmakers and invite them to speak onour behalf, especially to meet withlobbyists and legislators.
6. Candidates file by early June,we will have a new crop of legisla-tors to target with our letters,emails, and calls. Including ourpersonal experiences is veryeffective.
— Karen Tyner,Tucson Chapter Chair
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State Board Meeting ofEnd of Life ChoicesMarch 27, 2004 • Chandler, AZ
Book Review by Earl Wettstein
“The Good EuthanasiaGuide 2004”By Derek Humphry
I really like this book and recommend it to anyoneexploring their end of life choices.
Finally, here, in one convenient place, are all the factsand history of our movement ... all presented in a clear, directmanner, as you would expect from such a brilliant journalist.
Derek discusses the positive effect he believes babyboomers will have on our goals. And why is it that famouspeople who support euthanasia for themselves such asHepburn and Nimitz and Dreyfuss and George C. Scottand Tracy Ullman will not step forward and be our spokes-men? It would only take one to really make a difference.
The numerous changes in The Hemlock Society arediscussed. The new name, logo, slogan, the large staff, thestrong legislative agenda, and the impending merger withCompassion in Dying.
Most interesting, he takes his readers behind the scenesand into Dr. Kevorkian’s mind. Why did this brilliant mando what he did? I found it spell-binding.
Finally, the Caring Friend’s program is discussed in avery positive light.
This is a 192 page volume that should be on everyadvocate’s bookshelf. It includes a Filmography and a Bib-liography. You will appreciate that it is published in a verylegible 12-point typeface that is easy reading for even theoldest eyes.
To purchase this book, send $15 to ERGO 24829 NorrisLane, Junction City, OR 97448. Or fax your order withVISA number to 541-998-1873. Derek will personallyhandle your order.
Ameeting of the Board of Directors of EOLCArizona was held March 27, 2004 at the SanMarcos Hotel in Chandler, Arizona.
❏ Walter Urbach, Sun City chapter president submittedhis resignation, citing differences with National policy.The resignation was accepted with sincere regrets anddeep thanks for his past service.
❏ D & O insurance (Directors and Officer liability insur-ance). National will help to acquire and pay for thechapters’ D and O coverage. They will have to beincorporated to qualify for coverage. Insurance forrental of meeting locations are covered by National.Marsha Campbell is the contact at National.
❏ ERGO. It was moved and seconded to send $100.00 toERGO to obtain membership for the chapters. Thiswill allow chapters to keep abreast of ERGO’s progress.Motion was adopted.
❏ EOLC Bylaws. It was moved and seconded to acceptthe revised Bylaws of Arizonans for Death with Dig-nity to effect the name change to End of Life Choices–Arizona. Motion was adopted. John then appointedMarshall and Paul to review the bylaws for any furtherchanges they feel might be needed. They will reportback to John.
❏ John appointed a task force to detail the differencesbetween EOLC and FFF from a legal and organiza-tional standpoint. The task force of Paul and Davidwill explore the relationship between the two organi-zations as a 501(c)(3) and a 501(c)(4) and make anyrecommendations.
❏ John passed out a questionnaire that can be used todetermine the viewpoints of candidates running for thelegislature. After several changes were recommendeda task force of John and David was appointed to reviseand clarify the questionnaire. This report is due by theend of May, 2004 for use in this year’s election.
❏ John announced the formation of the Wettstein Won-derful Wizard (WWW) award. It will be presentedannually at the state meeting to the Most MeritoriousMember (MMM). This award is established to honorEarl for all of his work in the movement. ■
❏ Ron Martin, Yuma Chapter Leader will step down as ofJune 1, 2004, due to increased work responsibilities.The resignation was accepted with sincere regrets anddeep thanks for his past service.
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ARIZONA CHAPTERSAND CONTACTS (5/1/04)
FIFTH FREEDOM FOUNDATION - John Westover6100 N. Oracle Rd., Tucson, AZ 85704(520) 297-1492 • Email: [email protected]
SEDONA - Jack Baldwin • 55 Roundup Dr., Sedona, AZ 86336(928) 204-1197 • Email: [email protected]
GREEN VALLEY - Harry Lien • 142 E. Los Arcos,Green Valley, AZ 85614 • (520) 625-7469Email: [email protected]
PRESCOTT - Gene Giermann • HC 30 Box 933D,Prescott, AZ 86305 • (928) 445-6772Email: [email protected] Website:http://pws.prserv.net/yavapai/Hemlock/
SIERRA VISTA - Billie Stockl • 3305 E. Mohawk Dr.,Sierra Vista, AZ 85650 • (520) 803-9285 (Home)Email: [email protected]
NW VALLEY (Carefree, Cave Creek, Glendale, Litchfield Park,Peoria, Sun City, Sun City Grand, Sun City West, Surprise)
Sue Moorehead • 20418 N. 142nd Ave.,Sun City West, AZ 85375 • (623) 546-1994Email: [email protected]
SUN LAKES - Bob Wallace • 9306 E. Crystal Dr.Sun Lakes, AZ 85248 • (480) 802-4327Email: [email protected]
TUCSON - Karen Tyner • 6419 N. Burro Creek, Tucson, AZ 85718(520) 577-2857 • Email: [email protected]
YUMA - Ron Martin • 1067 W. Palmcroft Dr., Yuma, AZ 85364(520) 341-9260 • Email: [email protected]
PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE/TEMPE - Marshall Lindsay4233 E. Coolbrook, Phoenix, AZ 85032(602) 493-0266 • Email: [email protected]
FLAGSTAFF - Severy Partridge • PO Box 22003, Flagstaff, AZ 86002(928) 774-5105 • Email: [email protected]
EOLC AZ - Vickie Fischer • 1860 Calle MontanosaGreen Valley, AZ 85614 • (520) 625-6049
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - John Abraham (520) 577-2245Email: [email protected]
CASA GRANDE - Francene Haskins1268 E. Crown Circle, Casa Grande, AZ 85222(520) 836-9272 • Email: [email protected]
EOLC AZ OFFICERSCommunications Director - Jean Osborne • (520) 546-7965Executive Coordinator - Ruthie Steinberg • (877) 535-3600Legislative Director - David Brandt-Erichsen • (520) 749-2247FFF Treasurer - Stanley SteinbergEOLC AZ Treasurer - Paul Sachs
EOLC AZ MEDICAL ADVISORY GROUPDr. Jack R. BaldwinDr. Monte DuValDr. Robert H. FurmanDr. Harvey Turner
How YOU Can Help(a new, regular, feature)
1) We need documented cases of “bad” deaths.If you know of someone who suffered needlessly, pleaseconsider sending us documentation of the event: dates,times, places, specific treatments (or lack thereof), phy-sicians’ names, etc.)
2) We need more physicians for our MedicalAdvisory Group.If you know of a physician sympathetic to our cause,please advise us.
3) We’d like to build an AZ database of physicians towhom our members may turn for help.If you know of any such physician, please notify our Ex-ecutive Director ASAP. (No physician would be listedwho does not first agree to be listed, and all such listingsshall be proprietary information). This notice will ap-pear in every newsletter until we have at least 2 such phy-sicians in any town of over 20,000 population in AZ.)
4) Many of you indicated that you’d like to see an AZMembership Directory.No one will be published in this directory without firsthaving given their permission. Will you agree to help bybeing included? If so, please notify our Executive Direc-tor ASAP. [This would be indexed by chapter member-ship and would include name, address, phone, email, andspecial interest information. Using such a directory, wecan communicate with like-minded peers more easily,share information, find help (e.g. advocates, physicians)more readily, and simply share ideas and concerns].
5) Read and act on our “Oh So Attractive Centerfold.”
— JLA
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Excerpts from Speech by Executive Director John Abraham
“We're Not About ‘Death’ Any More”Tucson, Arizona • May 15, 2004
So, finally, I get to the chosentopic: “We're Not About DeathAny More.” What this means is
a shift in language, a paradigm shift, anda shift in emphasis. This is a new thrustthroughout our educational activities,advocacy work, and legal efforts.
Rather than use the language ofDeath (Death with dignity, Aid inDying, Right to Die, and the like), I'dlike to suggest we use and emphasizethe language of life.
Why? Because, in spite of theenlightenment of some of us, death isvery off-putting in our society. It is stilltaboo. It makes people uncomfortable,nervous, and reluctant to engage inserious dialogue about the end of life.
What we are really about is notdeath: We are about life—all of life,and of course we are especiallyconcerned with the last part of life.
We're about people living life to itsfullest!
Death and life go hand in glove.For me, death is a natural part of life.It is one hundred percent relevant.Therefore, we are 100% relevant!
When our opponents go on and onabout “God is pro-life,” I always think,“and pro-death, since every form of lifehas germination and a death, beginningand end.” Isn't it about time physiciansand nurses and the general publicaccept the fact that life is fatal—thatdeath is inevitable and natural andnothing to be feared, dreaded, or avoidedas a natural topic of conversation?
Well, yes, that's true—it certainlyis about time. But because of theaversion so many of us have to death, Isuggest we'll get farther in promotingour cause by using the language of life.
You know, sometimes we treat theterminally ill as though they weresomehow dead already! Sometimes we"tip-toe" too much around those whoare near life's end. Or, worse yet, we
We can advocate that those living life'slast days know the truth—even painfultruth. So often the truth is withheldfrom them.
We can help people live near theend of life without being financiallyexploited, and without the fear of beingfinancially exploited.
We can help people recognize thatthey have led a purposeful life—andwe can help to affirm that life.
We can help people to be free ofemotional suffering by being at peacewith themselves. This may includehaving taken care of literal andfigurative unfinished business. And itmay include having made an effort toreconcile former interpersonalconflicts, to put relationships straight(including saying goodbye).
Finally, and by no means least, wecan see to it that legislation is adoptedthat allows us in Arizona to end ourlife's journey as we see fit!
Most observers of Oregon feel thatnot only have there been no abuses, butthat the law has spurred improved end-of-life care, making it the best state inthe nation for utilizing hospice care,providing pain relief, and allowingpeople to die at home.
I maintain that no one, and I meanno one, is better equipped or entitled todecide where you will die, with whomyou will die, how you will die, and whenyou will die—no one is better equippedor entitled to decide that than you are!
Let's keep fighting the good fight!
John Abraham’s speech can be found inits entirety at www.choicesarizona.org.
act upon them without consulting them,we ignore their sense of humor, andinstitutional staff speak demeaningly tothem in “baby talk.” And we shy away,of course, because of their reminder ofour own mortality.
The terminally ill in our society aresubject to and vulnerable to the will ofothers. They are dehumanized andmarginalized, drugged and plugged,medicalized and bureaucratized,under appreciated, needlesslyemaciated and overly sedated, alive butdeprived, isolated and denigrated,neglected and rejected.
But guess what—someoneterminally ill is as alive as you or I!
After all, what do we advocate andaffirm? We don't advocate death orhaving to die now. We advocate havinga decent life until the end by havingautonomy and control and choice.
Besides choice, another principleof our movement is the uniqueness ofeach individual and each case. It's upto us to be sure that those who areterminally ill are respected as uniqueand vibrant individuals.
Instead of fear and aversion, thosewho are terminally ill deserve the verybest that humanity has to offer.
When the medical industryproclaims: “There is no more we cando” it's up to us to say, “Yes, there'splenty we can do!”
We can see to it that those nearlife's end are kept free from physicalpain. We can be loving companions forthose near life's end.
Even a mere presence can help. Wecan see to it that someone need not diealone.
We can be advocates that one bepermitted to live life's end in friendly,familiar surroundings—preferably athome, with one's own belongings, inone's own place.
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Flagstaff❏ Jack Baldwin, M.D., will be aguest speaker from End of Life ChoicesArizona, Sunday, May 30, at the 10amservice of the Unitarian (UU) Church,510 N. Leroux St., Flagstaff.
Flagstaff❏ Public Workshop on AdvanceDirectives (Living Will, Power ofAttorney for Health Care). Saturday,May 15, two sessions: 10am–12 noonand 1pm–3pm (both sessions are thesame topic), Unity Church, 2708 N. 4thSt. (right corner of Knowles VillageSquare). Speaker/Facilitator is IlaDeLuca (National Board Member ofEnd of Life Choices).
Sierra Vista❏ Cochise County Chapter Meeting.Saturday, June 26 from 10:15am–11:30am, Mona Bishop Room of theSierra Vista Public Library, 2600 E.Tacoma Street, Sierra Vista, AZ. Guestspeaker to be determined.
Tucson❏ Tucson Chapter Annual Meetingand Luncheon. Saturday, May 15,10am, at the Viscount Suites Hotel,4855 E. Broadway (east of Swan).Speaker will be our Executive Director,John Abraham, on the subject “We’reNot About ‘Death’ Any More.”
(All meetings are free. Please bring your friends!)
❏ Informal Chapter Meeting.Saturday, August 28 from 11am–1pm,Billie’s, 3305 E. Mohawk Drive, SierraVista. Our last informal meeting wasa finger-food luncheon potluck and itwas a great success. Let’s do it again!Please RSVP to (520) 803-9285or [email protected] no later thanAugust 25th to ensure seating isavailable for all.
Ideas ThatWork(a new, regular, feature)
✓ Use the legislator’s name in a letterto the editor. This way you can besure the legislator will read yourletter (their staff clips all referencesto them for them to read)!
✓ Offer coffee, cookies, ice water,punch, soda, donuts, etc. at meet-ings. This provides a morefriendly, warm, and welcomingatmosphere. And it helps buildcommunity with casual conversa-tion around the serving area.
✓ Have a regular board meeting, butannounce it (at your public meet-ing) as being open for new boardprospects and invite them to comesee. Tucson Chapter recently gottwo new excellent board membersthis way.
✓ Staff a table or booth at a supermarket or similar venue. Hand outbrochures, meeting notices, etc.Let people know we’re here.Gather public interest.
✓ The Tucson Chapter of EOLC AZtook $4 off the cost of their annualluncheon (subsidizing registrantsfor $4 out of $13.50, thus askingonly $9.50). Registration wassignificantly higher than last year.
What are YOUR ideas?
Upcoming Chapter Meetings
Scottsdale
Tucson❏ Public Meetings of the TucsonChapter of EOLC, October 2, 2004,10am, library to be announced. Ms.Beth Smith, our Elder LawAttorney,will speak on “Protection of Assetsin the Face of Long Term Care.”Other meetings are scheduledJanuary 15, 2005; March 19, 2005 andMay 21, 2005.
❏ October 30, 9:45am–noon,Mustang Library. Ila DeLuca will bethe speaker—Facing My Own Deathis the suggested topic.
❏ September 18, 9:45am–noon,Mustang Library, Taking Chargeof Your Life. John Abraham willbe leading this event. It is intendedto be a “get acquainted with us”session.
Chapter members may receiveScreaming Yellow Postcards if
requested by your chapter leader.
Would yourorganization like to
use our travel display?Available to rent for$25 per weekend
❏ November 10, 1:45–4pm, Uni-tarian Universalist Church, 17540 N.Avenue of the Arts in Surprise (thechurch is just north of Bell Rd.between Sun City and Sun CityWest - behind the West Valley ArtMuseum). Rev. Dr. Walter F.Wielder will discuss “PracticalEthical Issues Surrounding End ofLife Choices.”
NW Valley(Carefree, Cave Creek, Glendale,Litchfield Park, Peoria, Sun City, Sun CityGrand, Sun City West, Surprise)
Give to End of Life Choices Arizona instead of the IRS!
Did you know that you can increase your giving power up to 10 times the dollar
amount (and at no extra cost to you) just by establishing the proper legal and
financial tools to protect your estate? And you don’t need to be rich to participate
in planned giving. Please read on!
Why Give?
We ask you to consider making a differencefor the long-term future of End of LifeChoices Arizona. The very first chapter (inTucson) was started in 1983, followed by thecreation of the statewide organization in 1997.This was accomplished with 100% volunteerlabor and a bare-bones survival budget. Nowwe've got momentum, are pursuing costlylegislative efforts, and have grown beyond thepoint where we can function solely onvolunteer labor. We are currently operating onshort-term grants, but we need to become self-sufficient for the long haul. In order tomaintain and increase the viability and energyof our continuing work, we ask you toseriously consider a bequest or other plannedgiving option to provide for our future asdescribed herein. Thank you.
Why Give?
! To make a difference in the lives ofthose who are terminally ill, theirfamilies, and their friends.
! To support the right of all futuregenerations to control their owndestiny.
! To give back to End of Life ChoicesArizona for what it did for yourplanning or for someone you know.
! To make a personal statement aboutthe values you hold dear.
! To encourage others to consider theirown legacies.
! So your gift to End of Life ChoicesArizona may speak of yourcommitment and dedication to a causein which you deeply believe.
There are any number of reasons to give. Theanswer to "Why Give?" can only be answeredby you. Know that every gift makes adifference – no matter its size or aim, everygift makes something special happen at End ofLife Choices Arizona so today's terminally illand those whose lives they touch can beempowered until the very end.
Please consider making a gift to the End ofLife Choices Arizona or Fifth FreedomFoundation through direct donations, plannedgiving, or memorial donations. Donations toFifth Freedom Foundation are tax deductible.
To learn more about planned giving ormemorial donations, please contact us at 1-877-535-3600 (toll free), 520-529-0461(Tucson), 520-751-1310 (fax), or [email protected]. Thank you foryour support!
PLANNED GIVING
Gifts made as part of your overall financialplan, which often benefit you now and End ofLife Choices Arizona later, are known as'planned gifts.' Planned giving allows you toprovide future support for the areas andprograms in End of Life Choices Arizona orFifth Freedom Foundation that are of mostinterest to you, and often allows you to makea larger gift than might otherwise be possible.Planned gifts may offer the following benefits:
! Provide lifetime income for you and, ifyou wish, another beneficiary.
! Give you a substantial federal income-tax charitable deduction.
! Enable you to turn low-yielding assetsinto a higher income stream.
! Reduce or eliminate taxes on capitalgains.
! Eliminate or reduce federal estatetaxes.
! Ultimately provide a meaningful gift toEnd of Life Choices Arizona.
End of Life Choices Arizona / Fifth FreedomFoundation accepts a variety of planned-givingoptions, including bequests and othertestamentary gifts. We also offer ways for youto receive income from your gift, and otherplanned giving options. Explore how you canhelp End of Life Choices Arizona whilemaking sound financial plans for yourself.
We recommend that you consult with yourattorney or tax advisor for the various taxbenefits and restrictions that may apply to yourspecific situation.
BEQUESTS
Over the years, bequests and othertestamentary gifts have played a major role inthe development of non-profit organizations,as these popular gifts are often the mostrealistic way for many people to make asubstantial gift to our cause. Unrestrictedbequests enable End of Life Choices Arizonaand Fifth Freedom Foundation to direct yourgift to an area of our organization where it willhave the most impact; however, you may alsospecify the area you would like to support bymaking a restricted bequest. Whichever youchoose, your bequest may be made in a varietyof forms, including:
Fixed Amount or Percentage of Estate.These gifts provide End of Life ChoicesArizona with a predetermined amount orpercentage of your estate. Percentage bequestsare often preferred because they don't have tobe altered as the size of your estate changes,or to adjust for inflation.
Personal and Real Property. You maysupport End of Life Choices Arizona byleaving a specific asset such as a parcel ofland, your home or summer residence, a workof art, jewelry, a retirement account, orsecurities.
Residual. With a residual bequest, End of LifeChoices Arizona receives a specific percentageshare or the remainder of your estate afterheirs are provided for and all expenses anddebts are paid.
How to Make a Bequest to End of LifeChoices Arizona. A bequest can easily beestablished by having your attorney write anamendment to your current will. If you arewriting a will, we urge you to consult yourattorney or your financial advisor.
OTHER PLANNED GIVING OPTIONS
Gifts that provide income. If you want tomake a substantial gift to End of Life ChoicesArizona and Fifth Freedom Foundation but arehesitant to give up the steady income that youare receiving, then one of End of Life ChoicesArizona's life income plans may be right foryou. Establishing a Charitable RemainderUnitrust or other life income gift oftenprovides a substantial increase in annualincome. Planned gifts include gift annuities,trusts, and more. The advantages of manytypes of planned giving are:
! You (and a second beneficiary, if youwish) receive an income for life.
! Your funds receive professionalmanagement while you relieve yourselfo f i nves tmen t manageme ntresponsibilities.
! You may reap the benefits of acharitable contribution income taxdeduction.
! You may eliminate the tax on long-term capital gains if the gift is in theform of securities or property thathave increased in value.
! You may increase your income if a giftof low-yielding securities or savings ismade to a trust, annuity, or a PooledIncome Fund.
Charitable Remainder Trust. This processof giving provides named beneficiaries withincome for the rest of their lives from a trustthat you establish. When the incomebeneficiary or beneficiaries die, all or part ofthe principal is donated to End of Life ChoicesArizona.
Charitable Lead Trust Contingent. Uponyour death, these testamentary gifts provideEnd of Life Choices Arizona with an periodicfixed-dollar amount or a percentage of thetrust until its term expires, whereupon theprincipal is given to your named beneficiaries(e.g., children or grandchildren).
Individual Retirement Accounts. IRAs makea wonderful way to leave assets to End of LifeChoices Arizona because gifts to non-charitable beneficiaries (i.e. your heirs) aretaxable. Consider making End of Life ChoicesArizona the beneficiary of part or all of anIRA. This could result in a tax savings for yourestate.
IPOs, Options, and Restricted Stock. Givingopportunities may be created by the sale of acompany, a merger or acquisition, an initialpublic offering, or compensation benefits.Transferring these assets may allow you toachieve your financial goals even as you helpEnd of Life Choices Arizona grow.
Gifts of Tangible Personal Property. End ofLife Choices Arizona accepts gifts such as art,jewelry, or antiques that can be used or sold byour organization. You may claim an income-tax deduction for the fair-market value of thegift if you owned it for more than 12 months.The IRS does require gifts valued at $5,000 ormore to be professionally appraised. In somecases, these gifts may be used to create a life-income arrangement, such as a charitableremainder trust.
Gifts of Life Insurance. There may be estatetax benefits by naming End of Life ChoicesArizona or Fifth Freedom Foundation as thebeneficiary (or co-beneficiary) on an existinglife-insurance policy. You can claim anincome-tax deduction for the cash-surrendervalue if you make Fifth Freedom Foundationthe sole owner of the policy.
Gifts of Real Estate. Homes, undevelopedlots, commercial property, or other real estateare ideal charitable gifts because they generallyappreciate at a higher rate than inflation. Theymay be donated outright, converted to a newsource of income through a deferred-giftagreement, or transferred directly witharrangements for life tenancy. Real-estate giftsmay allow you to benefit from income-taxsavings, capital-gains tax savings, or estate andgift-tax savings, while also possibly increasingyour annual income. These gifts may also beused to create a life-income arrangement, suchas a charitable remainder trust.
Gifts of Stock. Appreciated stock gifts allowyou to avoid paying capital-gains taxes on theamount of the appreciation. For gifts of stockheld more than 12 months, you can deduct thefull amount of the fair market value. You canstill deduct the full amount of the current valueof the stock as a charitable income-taxdonation (up to 30% of your adjusted grossincome in the year of the gift). If you cannotuse all of the deduction in the year that youmake the gift, you may carry over thededuction for an additional five years.
DIRECT GIFTS
CASH. Gifts of cash are the most commonform of support. Checks should be madepayable to "End of Life Choices Arizona" or"Fifth Freedom Foundation" and sent directlyto the address below. End of Life ChoicesArizona is a non-profit 501(c)(4) organizationable to do lobbying activities so contributionsare not tax deductible. The sister organizationFifth Freedom Foundation is a non-profit501(c)(3) educational organization to whichcontributions are tax deductible.
SECURITIES. Gifts of appreciated securitiesprovide significant tax savings for the donor byavoiding capital-gains taxes. Also, gifts oflong-term securities are tax deductible at fairmarket value. Call us for information about thestock-transfer process.
MATCHING GIFTS. Hundreds of organi-zations match charitable gifts by employees.Check with your company's human resourcedepartment for a matching gift form. Simplycomplete your brief section of the form,enclose it with your gift, and we do the rest.
To learn more about planned giving or memorial donations,please contact us at:
1-877-535-3600 (toll free)520-529-0461 (Tucson)
520-751-1310 (fax)[email protected].
End of Life Choices - Arizona P.O. Box 12126
Tucson, AZ 85732
7
Name ____________________________________________________________________
Address ___________________________________________________________________
City_________________________________ State______________ Zip _______________
Phone____________________________ Email Address ____________________________
Mail to: Fifth Freedom Foundation, P.O. Box 12126, Tucson, AZ 85732
YES, I want to join End of Life Choices!I understand this automatically includes state membership privileges in End of Life Choices–Arizona,the Fifth Freedom Foundation, and most local chapters as well! Make check payable to Fifth Freedom Foundation.
ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION
❏ $35 Single ❏ $43 Couple ❏ Single Life Member $350 ❏ Couple Life Member $430
❏ You folks are doing a great job! Here’s an extra $_________________ contribution to help the cause.
This is a yearly membership, renewable annually. Please send my newsletters (national and state) to:
✁
New Sun Cities(NW Valley) Leadership
Our officers are as follows:
President Sue MooreheadVice Pres/Sec. Irene Weitzman
Treasurer Paul SachsMember at Large Neal Hardy
—by Sue Moorehead
I have made some calls to some of the members andsome have indicated they would be willing to serve oncommittees as well as be a chairman. This is exciting.
We will be planning out what the needs are anddefining jobs in June (we are all enthusiastic).
Addendum for“Final Exit”
“Earl advised me recently that there is now a new nozzleon the Worthington balloon kit. So I went to Toys R Us theother day and bought a new tank. They had a great many;so it looked like a new consignment.
The 4” long rubber nozzle has been replaced by ashorter, 2” black rubber nozzle which is hard to remove,even with pincers, as Earl had advised. So I used a boxcutter to make a half inch slit near the joint and it thenslipped off easily.
I took the nozzle to a big hardware store in Eugene andfound that what was NOW needed was a different size vinyltubing—5/8ths outer dimension by half-inch inner dim.Thus I have prepared a little Addendum for ‘Final Exit’.Thanks.”
— Submitted by Derek Humphrey
“You just can’t talk to that bunch. They all read thegreen centerfold and avoided probate.”
Available for a $10 donation:The best Advance Directives kit
in the country(plus $3 shipping)
orReprints of the March“Harper’s Magazine”
article The Resurrection Men,Scenes from the cadaver trade.
PLEASE CHECK YOUR NEAREST CHAPTER . . .
You are automatically a local chapter member (in addition tonat’l and state) in these communities.
❏ Phoenix/Scottsdale/Tempe ❏ Tucson ❏ Green Valley
❏ NW Valley (Carefree, Cave Creek, Glendale, Litchfield Park,Peoria, Sun City, Sun City Grand, Sun City West, Surprise)
Phone:____________________________
✁
8
Reach Out and TouchYour Membership
Because phone calls are more personal than mailings, the Sedona chapter of EOL Choices utilizesthe former to notify members (and others who have
indicated an interest) of upcoming meetings.Currently the phone coordinator utilizes a list of indi-
viduals who have indicated a willingness to make calls.Only 10-12 names are assigned each caller to spread thework around. This list is reviewed approximately 3 weeksahead to see whose “turn” it is to make calls. Those per-sons are then phoned to ascertain they can do them, andthe lists are mailed out. We find calls are best made 10-14days prior to meetings.
Codes (recently revised) are used for responses: WC(will come), MC (might come), CC (can’t come), AM(answering machine), LM (left message with anotherperson, NC (no contact due to phone disconnected, persis-tently busy or not answered, or wrong number). Space isallocated for comments like “Remove from list,” or otherremarks the person wants to pass along.
We find our members appreciate the personal contact(even if it is through a phone recording) and having a per-son and number to call if they have any questions about themeeting or organization.
For details of how to set up and operate a phone tree,please contact our Executive Director.
❏ Sedona ❏ Sierra Vista/Tombstone ❏ Sun Lakes
❏ Prescott ❏ Yuma ❏ Flagstaff
❏ I WOULD LIKE TO HELP START A CHAPTER
For more information visit our website (www.choicesarizona.org)or call us toll free at 1-877-535-3600 (in area code 520, call 529-0461); Fax: 520-751-1310
Recognizing a Stroke
If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call9-1-1 immediately and describe the symptoms to thedispatcher.
After discovering that a group of nonmedical volun-teers could identify facial weakness, arm weakness andspeech problems, researchers urged the general public tolearn the three questions.
They presented their conclusions at the AmericanStroke Association’s annual meeting last February. Wide-spread use of this test could result in prompt diagnosis andtreatment of the stroke and prevent brain damage.”
This might be a lifesaver if we can remember the threequestions! It was originated by a nurse, whose hus-band is a medical doctor.
I had never heard this advice before and hadn’t a clue.Perhaps you hadn’t either and would like to file it away inthe back of your head.
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to iden-tify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster.The stroke victim may suffer brain damage when peoplenearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.
Now doctors say any bystander can recognize a strokeasking three simple questions:
■ Ask the individual to smile.■ Ask him or her to raise both arms.■ Ask the person to speak a simple sentence.
— Submitted by Carla FelstedSedona
— Submitted by Harry LienGreen Valley
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Don’t Know Quite What to Sayin a Sympathy Note?
Many of us experience dis-comfort with not knowingwhat to say when seeking to
console others about the death of some-one close to them.
Sympathy notes can memorialize thedeceased and provide comfort to recipi-ent and sender alike. They further human-ize the deceased-sender interaction.
It is acceptable (and probably morehelpful) to mention that someone hasdied without using euphemisms suchas “passing” and “going to a betterplace.” I recommend that condolencenotes mention the deceased by namewith an acknowledgement of thefamily’s loss and an expression of sym-pathy. Whenever possible, the noteshould highlight unique positive quali-ties of the deceased person, perhapswith a short anecdote describing apatient-physician or other memorableinteraction.
Some phrases can be helpful inexpressing concern for the bereaved:“Although I never met;” “I was sad-dened to find out about;” and “It is dif-ficult to find words to express my sor-row.” (One way to overcome not know-ing quite what to say is to say “I don’tknow quite what to say!”). When ap-propriate, a comment about the superbcare, love and support that family andfriends provided to the deceased canbe described.
If the note offers assistance to thegrieving, be prepared to provide it.Along these lines, mention of sympa-thy regarding the deceased’s death canbe very helpful weeks and months af-ter the death. Don’t be afraid to bringup the subject, feeling that you don’twant to remind the survivors of theirloss. They have not forgotten the de-ceased, and may welcome the oppor-tunity to talk about their loss now that
the “hubbub” from the time of the deathhas dissipated. In acute deaths espe-cially, the survivors’ ability to reviewthe occurrences could be of great ben-efit to the family and help them recon-cile themselves to the loss.
The note should end with a thought-ful closing such as “you are in mythoughts” or “with deepest sympathy.”
Phrases that should be avoided in-clude “I know how you feel;” “He isin a better place;” “ You will do fine;”“You should be thankful that you weretogether for so long;” and “Time healsall wounds.” These remarks can beperceived as trite, presumptive or in-correct. (e.g. time doesn’t heal—it’stime and what you do with it.) Thesender’s faith-based beliefs should notbe offered as comfort unless it is clearthat the recipient shares these beliefs.
It is best not to leave a specificmessage on an answering machine,unless it states that you are thinking ofthe family and will call back or writeto them. One might call on the day ofthe death or the next day and followthis with a note. The note should besent in a timely fashion, usually withinone to two weeks of the death. As
mentioned above, more expression ofsympathy later is fine.
E-mail is generally a less thanoptimal way to contact the familyunless this was previously establishedas a frequent mode of communication.Handwritten notes are usually per-ceived as warmer and less businesslike.Commercially available cards need atleast a brief personalized expression ofsympathy and, in my opinion, are notas genuine.
Sending a condolence note also canbe a beneficial act toward closure forthe sender. I have had many positivecomments from families who havereceived my condolence notes. Occa-sionally a letter is sent to me yearsafter the fact because something hap-pened to remind the family of our pre-vious encounters. Many times, a recipi-ent of my condolence note has encoun-tered me in a mall or store andreminded me how appreciated andhelpful the note was for them. ■
This article was largely writtenby Neil M. Ellison, MD, director, Pal-liative Medicine Program, Geisinger,Medical Center, Danville, PA, andaugmented by John Abraham.
End of Life Choices-Arizona
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Vickie Fischer, Green Valley President
Paul Sachs, CPA, Sun City West Treasurer
Ron Martin, Yuma, Secretary
David Brandt-Erichsen, Tucson
Karen Tyner, Tucson
Bob Wallace, Ph.D., Sun Lakes
Earl Wettstein, Tucson
Treasurer
Billie Stockl, Sierra Vista, Secretary
Vickie Fischer, Green Valley
Gene Giermann, Prescott
Marshall Lindsay, M.Div., Scottsdale
Earl Wettstein, Tucson
Fifth Freedom Foundation
President
Stanley Steinberg, Tucson
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
John Westover, Ph.D., Tucson
10
End of Life Choices-ArizonaFifth Freedom Foundation
“We Need Your Input” (from October 2003)
Total Forms = 144(this represents about 8% of our members who returned completed questionnaires)
1. Your Priorities for Us Average Rank Top PriorityAn Arizona Aid-In-Dying Law 1.47 1 75.69%The Annual State Conference 3.99 6 0.69%The State Volunteer Leadership 3.69 5 0.69%The Local Chapter Meetings 3.34 3 3.47%The State Newsletters 3.35 4 2.78%Our Caring Friends 2.83 2 6.94%
Survey Results
Data compiled by John Abraham, May 2004
Our Caring Friends
The State Newsletters
The Local ChapterMeetings
The State VolunteerLeadership
The Annual StateConference
An ArizonaAid-in-Dying Law
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
6.94%
2.78%
3.47%
0.69%
0.69%
75.69%
Finding theRight Doctor
Caring Friends
Living Wills
Organ Transplants
Self-Deliverance
New Healthcare Laws
Finding Myself aHealthcare Advocate
Assisted Living Facilities
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%
16.67%
5.56%
6.25%
0.69%
42.36%
11.11%
2.78%
6.94%
YOUR PRIORITIES FOR US ...As you know, we have a lot of things to do.
But which are most important to you?
2. Broadening Our MessageAssisted Living Facilities 4.75 7 6.94%Finding Myself a Healthcare Advocate 4.47 6 2.78%New Healthcare Laws 3.81 4 11.11%Self-Deliverance 2.52 1 42.36%Organ Transplants 5.56 8 0.69%Living Wills 4.22 5 6.25%Caring Friends 3.77 3 5.56%Finding the Right Doctor 3.43 2 16.67%
BROADENING OUR MESSAGE ...For years, our main message has been Self-Deliverance.
As we go more mainstream and broaden our agenda,rank the subjects you would like to see us discuss.
End of Life Choices Arizona - “We need your input” (from October 2003)
11
The PCAALegislation Did NotPass (Yet!)
Representative Linda Lopezstated: “My colleagues in thelegislature have been
approaching me asking about thestatus of this bill because they havebeen getting letters of support fromtheir constituents. Such letters areprobably the single most importantthing that individuals can do to help
The Eighth Amendment to the United StatesConstitution prohibits “cruel and unusual punish-ment.” This has generally been recognized that
no cruel or unusual punishment could be given as a sen-tence in a criminal trial. However, the Amendment doesnot limit such prohibitions to trials alone. It limits cruelpunishment as a condition for life in the United States.
In the last hour or so before my mother died inDecember she repeated many times “this is torture.”
Why was my mother forced to endure torture? Thetorture she endured was forced upon her by the power oflaw. The law prohibits assisting a dying person fromgetting relieved of their torturous life. The torture ofa dying person denied relief is just as real as if it wereapplied by some device. It is being applied by somedevice. That device is the law.
Torture is supposed to be illegal. It isn’t illegalbecause the values of some people are imposed by law onother people who may not hold the same values. No freeperson should be forced to live by the values of otherpeople. Religion and adherence to any particularreligious doctrine is supposed to be a voluntary practice.
People like us who have advocated the freedom toaid the dying have generally failed to change the law. Thisfailure has been both at a legislative level and throughballot initiatives. This failure is in spite of decades ofhard work. I am suggesting a legal challenge to theselaws as being unconstitutional as an additional effort tothe ballot. A legal challenge may not be successful but itwill bring attention and public debate. A legal challengewill force those who seek to impose their beliefs onothers to take a long hard look at what they are doing topeople like my mother.
The same principle applies to us. We won’t forceanyone to adhere to our values by force of law. Somereligious people will deny they use torture to perpetuatetheir values and coerce them on others against their will.The converse is true.
I am not an atheist and I am not opposed to religion.Religion practiced on a voluntary basis is a good thing.Religion imposed by coercion is a bad thing. ■
— By John Nemeth, Tucson
Torturein America
Man Leaps to His Deathfrom Vintage Plane
A California man recently diagnosed with a braintumor leaped to his death from a vintage airplane he rentedto mark his 88th birthday, officials in El Cajon said.Joseph Frost took off his safety belt, stood up in the opencockpit of the two-seat biplane and went over the sideMonday, despite the pilot’s efforts to wrestle him back intothe plane, officials said. The plane is similar to what Frostflew in Word War II, said his son, Robert. “I think that wasDad’s idea, to go out in a flash of glory.”
— Submitted by Earl Wettstein
Thank you to all who made our Press Conference withRepresentative Linda Lopez such a successful event!
with this legislation. Although we were not successful ingetting a hearing this year, the letters still laid importantgroundwork for next year. We hope we will get even moreletters next year!”
P.O. Box 12126 • Tucson, Arizona 85732
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
NONPROFIT ORGUS POSTAGE
PAIDTUCSON AZ
PERMIT NO 792
IS YOUR MEMBERSHIP ABOUT TO EXPIRE?If it is, please renew soon.
Check the date on your label here ...
If you are a member of End of Life Choices (formerlyHemlock), your mailing label on this newsletter will say“M” or “L” (Life member), and show when your member-ship expires (year/month/day). Your chapter cluster codeis at the right side.
Check your renewal date
VICKIE FISCHER1860 CALLE MONTANOSAGREEN VALLEY, AZ 85614
20030816 ctr=G
Our Newsletter schedule is as follows:Mailings on about:
✦ September 22, 2004✦ November 1, 2004✦ January 22, 2005✦ April 1, 2005.I welcome all news contributions!Please submit your suggestions/articles to John
Abraham, [email protected] deadlines for submissions are: September 1,
October 1, January 1 and March 1—always the first of themonth prior to mailing.
I’m looking forward to your contributions.
Please contact our Executive Coordinator,Mrs. Ruthe Steinberg,
toll-free at 1-877-535-3600 orin Tucson at 529-0461
for reservations.
Our next State Board Meetings ofEOLC AZ and FFF will be
Saturday, September 11, 200410:00am to 3:00pm
San Marcos Resort andConference Center1 San Marcos Place
Chandler, AZ 85225Phone Number 480-821-0900
At the corner of Arizona Avenue andBuffalo Street (one short block West ofChandler Blvd.) in downtown Chandler
Please be sure your representative onour board knows of your concerns!
If you plan to attend as a guest,please notify us 3 weeks in advance.
NewsletterSchedule
STATE CONFERENCESaturday, November 6
10am–3:30pmScottsdale
Mark your calendar andstay tuned for details.
