From AP/Seattle Times, Chicago Tribune, Atlanta Journal-Constitution,

A suburban Chicago man with disabilities, whose February 26 assisted suicide plans were put on hold after the Final Exit Network arrests last month, says he has found a new reason to live: defending the right-to-die movement.

Kurt Perry, 26, is diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT), described as a painful inherited neurological disorder that weakens his limbs and breathing. The Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association says the condition usually isn’t life-threatening.

In an interview, Final Exit founder Ted Goodwin defended his group’s right to hasten the deaths of people who are chronically ill, as well as those who are terminally ill.

Disability rights advocate Stephen Drake, of the group Not Dead Yet, countered that assisted suicide sends the message that certain people are expendable. “What you’ve done is you’re saying that group of people, their lives have less value,” Drake said.

Earlier post here.

(Chicago Tribune photo)

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 18th, 2009 at 6:38 pm and is filed under assisted suicide, chronic illness, genetics, physical disabilities. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.