On November 27, Amy Judd and Kylie Stanton reported for Global News that a British Columbian woman diagnosed with abdominal cancer was offered MAiD (euthanasia) rather than treatment. The woman was successfully treated in the United States. The article begins by stating:
Allison Ducluzeau has just returned from a dream trip to Hawaii where she married the love of her life on the beach. But it was a wedding she couldn’t even imagine earlier this year.
The article explains that Ducluzeau began experiencing abdominal discomfort around Thanksgiving 2022 (October 10). The pain persisted, prompting her to seek diagnostic testing. However, she was informed that it would take weeks to schedule an ultrasound and CT scan. The pain was so severe that in November, she was admitted to the emergency room. Judd and Stanton report:
“I didn’t get to sleep one night and I woke up my now husband and said, I think we better go to emergency. So we did. And when I was there, I got a CT scan or I was booked for one the next day and the results of the CT scan indicated it looked like it might be something called peritoneal carcinomatosis, which is abdominal cancer.”
The article elucidates that following two CT-guided biopsies, Ducluzeau was diagnosed with Stage 4 peritoneal carcinomatosis and subsequently referred to the BC Cancer Agency. Her family physician informed her that, in such cases, a procedure known as HIPEC is typically employed, which involves the delivery of high doses of chemotherapy into the abdomen with the objective of eradicating cancerous cells. The article further states that a surgeon affiliated with BC Cancer informed her that:
“Chemotherapy is not very effective with this type of cancer, …It only works in about 50 per cent of the cases to slow it down. And you have a life span of what looks like to be two months to two years.
The surgeon advised her to consult with her family and arrange her affairs, and inquired whether she desired medical assistance in dying (euthanasia). Ducluzeau was profoundly affected by the news. She stated that it was the most distressing day of her life, having to inform her children and recognizing that her mother had recently passed away. Instead, Ducluzeau endeavored to pursue every available treatment option.
To advance the narrative, Ducluzeau identified several treatment facilities and was successfully treated at the Institute for Cancer Care at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. Prior to commencing treatment, she contacted BC Cancer to inquire about the anticipated duration of her appointment with the oncologist. The response indicated that the wait time could span weeks, months, or even longer, with no clear estimation. She informed the reporters that
“I feel 100 per cent,” she said. “Some days even better. There is nothing that I did before I got sick that I can’t do now. I mean, I can ride my bike 15 kilometres and go have dinner with friends and ride home afterwards. I can golf 18 holes without feeling tired. I started running again and I haven’t run for 10 years.”
Despite having undergone surgery a month prior, she reported returning to work. However, the financial implications of her condition continue to be a significant concern.
Ducluzeau is attempting to have her medical expenses reimbursed by the BC Ministry of Health. However, she has received a letter from the BC Cancer Agency indicating that:
“the services you chose to receive in the U.S. would not have been the recommended treatment for your cancer diagnosis.”
It seems that the preferred treatment in BC was euthanasia (MAiD), as this was the only option presented to Ducluzeau.
In conclusion, Ducluzeau stated that she is attempting to focus on married life and to take each day as it comes.
“I’m calling this my bonus round and I’m just trying to find joy in every day.”
The following observations can be made from this case study:
- For the majority of Canadians, the option of travelling to Baltimore for treatment is not available.
- Euthanasia (MAiD) was presented as the preferred treatment option, given that no other options were offered.
Daniel Miller is responsible for nearly all of National Right to Life News' political writing.
With the election of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency, Daniel Miller developed a deep obsession with U.S. politics that has never let go of the political scientist. Whether it's the election of Joe Biden, the midterm elections in Congress, the abortion rights debate in the Supreme Court or the mudslinging in the primaries - Daniel Miller is happy to stay up late for you.
Daniel was born and raised in New York. After living in China, working for a news agency and another stint at a major news network, he now lives in Arizona with his two daughters.
