B.C. nurse sought wider access to legally assisted death

A day after the Canadian government legalized medically assisted dying last year, Noreen Campbell submitted her application for approval.

Campbell received that assistance on Thursdaywhen she diedin her home in North Saanich, B.C.

In a May 2016interview on The National, the retired registered nurse,described how she survived oral cancer but then learned she hadchronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a terminal respiratory disease.

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Campbell said the disease eventually results in death by suffocation.

"I am not seeking suicide," Campbell said. "I am seeking a peaceful, controlled death so I will not suffocate."

Campbell first became involved with advocacy group Dying With Dignity because she wanted to go to Switzerland where medically assisted death is legal.

Her plans changed when the Supreme Court of Canada struck down the Criminal Code prohibition on assisted suicide in February 2015.

Campbell was excited by the court ruling, but was later disappointed when the new law enacted by the federal government last year did not fully reflect the top court's ruling.

Aid limited to 'foreseeable death'

Bill C-14 limited access to assisted dying to people like Campbell who are facing a "foreseeable death".

She decided to speak publicly about the importance of extending the same right to others who are not facing imminent death but have "grievous, irremediable disease or disabilities."

"It means for my patients, people with Huntington's, people with ALS, people with dementia, that they can look at a diagnosis and they have some hope," she said.

"If you get a diagnosis like this you'd be scared," she said.

Noreen Campbell gives her view on the assisted dying bill

8 years ago

Duration 2:54

Retired nurse Noreen Campbell explains why the assisted dying bill is important for her and why she is disappointed with the Liberal government's proposed assisted dying legislation.

Ellen Agger, co-chair of the Victoria chapter of Dying With Dignity Canada, said Campbell died in the sunroom of her North Saanich, B.C. home Thursday whilesurrounded byfamily members.

Despite the serious nature of Campbell's message, Agger said Campbell had "quite a sense of humour."

She was also a member of Dying With Dignity Canada's Disability Advisory Council.

Agger saidCampbell was a rare andpowerful voice of personal experience on the assisted-dying issue.

"This is someone about whom we're all talking, who wants to have her own voice and has a lot to say," Agger said.