Mother says doctor brought up assisted suicide option as sick daughter was within earshot

A St. Anthony, N.L., mother who claims she was told by a doctor that assisted suicide wasan option for her adult daughter says she wants an apology from Labrador-Grenfell Health, in part because the 25-year-oldcould hear the conversation.

I'm not going to let them walk over her and mistreat her anymore.- Sheila Elson

Sheila Elson's25-year-old daughter,CandiceLewis, has several medical conditions, including spina bifida, cerebral palsy and chronic seizure disorder.

During a hospital stay in St. Anthony last November, when Lewiswas very sick,Elsonsaida doctor told her that her daughter was dying and that she had the option to end her life.

Doctor suggests assisted suicide to mother of child with several medical conditions

7 years ago

Duration 1:00

Sheila Elson of St. Anthony wants an apology from Labrador-Grenfell Health after a doctor told her to consider assisted suicide to end her daughter's life

"His words were'assisted suicide death was legal in Canada,'" she told CBC. "I was shocked, and said, 'Well, I'm not really interested,'and he told me I was beingselfish."

According toElson, Lewiswas within earshot when the doctor made the comment which she said was quite traumatic for her daughter to hear.

Pattern of mistreatment

After talking with some social workers, Elsonwas told she wouldn't be able to make a decision on ending her daughter's life, even if she wanted to, and that itwould have to be made by Lewisherself, who iscapable of verbally communicating.

Elson said the incident isthe most recent example of alleged mistreatment from Labrador-GrenfellHealth. In one example, she said, a nurse referred to her daughter as a "frequent flyer" at the hospital which Elsonsaid wasinsensitive to say about someone with so many health issues.

"She's sick.[When] she gets sick, you take her to the hospital," Elson said."Whether she's there 10 times a week or 25 times a day, she's still a human being."

Wants apology

Elson said that after the doctor spoke about the assisted suicide option last November, she started pressing for a response from Labrador-Grenfell Health.

She said she was told the doctor didn't intend to cause her distress, butElsonsaid she still wants a formal apology from the health authority.

"I didn't want another family going through what we went through. People like her are being mistreated, and enough is enough," she said. "I'm not going to let them walk over her and mistreat her anymore."

CBC contacted Labrador-GrenfellHealth to respond to Elson'sclaims, andthe authority said it could not discuss details ofthe case, but hadbeen in contact with Elsonand has offered her the opportunity to meet with members of her daughter's care team at her earliest convenience.