August 7 marked one year since legislation to improve access to Colorado's End-of-Life Options Act was enacted. Signed by Governor Jared Polis last June, SB68 shortened the mandatory minimum waiting period between oral requests for a medical aid-in-dying prescription from 15 days to seven days, allowing a prescribing provider to…

As the government shutdown enters its tenth day, you might be wondering how this is going to impact patient-directed care at the end of life. We’ve got you covered! Here are some answers to people’s most pressing questions about what this means for your end-of-life options.  What is happening with…

Compassion & Choices advocate Roseana Spangler-Sims wanted to have some say in what the end of her life looked like. After enduring more than a year of treatment for stage 4 pancreatic cancer with little to show for it other than the savage side effects, she decided it was time. …

A patient, a physician, and a licensed professional counselor specializing in eating disorders joined Compassion & Choices Action Network  Tuesday in filing a motion to intervene and oppose a lawsuit seeking to invalidate Colorado’s End of Life Options Act. The proposed intervenors are represented  by Compassion Legal: The End-of-Life Justice…

By Kevin Díaz, President & CEO This week I’ve been reflecting on the death of Jeff McComas, a dedicated advocate for medical aid in dying and a plaintiff in Compassion Legal’s challenge to the residency requirement in Colorado’s aid-in-dying law.  Following his diagnosis with terminal intestinal cancer in early 2023,…

Dear Governor Hochul,

Do you have questions about the language behind advance care planning? A critical part of the process  is choosing someone who will represent you in case you can’t represent yourself. But the terms…

YouTube video by Compassion & Choices

The show’s unusually nuanced, realistic depiction of end-of-life decisions has already had a real-world impact.

YouTube video by Compassion & Choices

Compassion & Choices advocates for end-of-life options, including medical aid in dying, for all — regardless of a person’s ZIP code. Today, 11 states (California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawai’i, Maine,…

Roseana Spangler-Sims, 72, had stage 4 pancreatic cancer and ended her life on Aug. 31 through Medical Aid in Dying — with her family by her side. They shared photos and details from her final day.

When someone develops dementia, the changes to memory, judgment, and decision-making can make it harder — or eventually impossible — to communicate their wishes for care. That’s why early…

YouTube video by Compassion & Choices

“They cleaned out his house, they kept everyone from the funeral service, and they buried him, honoring a life that wasn’t true to who he was.” That’s how Osha Towers, LGBTQ+ Outreach Director for Com...

By Kevin Díaz, Compassion & Choices President & CEO For more than 30 years, Compassion & Choices has worked to ensure that people can make informed decisions about the kind of healthcare they want as ...

Living in sunny Naples, Florida, Janina Birtolo had a rewarding life and career as a writer, journalist, and actor. But in her 60s, she was diagnosed with advanced emphysema—a progressive lung conditi...

The final stages of life can be filled with challenging, nuanced situations for some patients and their families. Ensuring goal-concordant care and