New:
This page was updated on Thursday, February 18, 2010 :
- A Courageous Battle: Susan Bracken has written a novel. See the write-up below.
Derek Humphry, best-selling author of Final Exit says of A Courageous Battle: "A busy book, rich in life and love, ending with a graceful death." For more information, see www.susanbracken.ca.
- Free To Go Newsletter, issued in April, 2009
An Apology and an Explanation from the Editor: I am sorry that this issue was so late. During late 2008 and early 2009 my husband Themis Anno was dying of cancer, and I gave priority to him.
If you never met him and would like to get acquainted a bit through the miracle of modern technology, you can look at a blog entry created by my sister-in-law Elizabeth Strangways. Go to http://www.probablybutnot.blogspot.com/ and look at the entry for February 12 (you can scroll down to the "Blog Archive" feature and then go directly to the posts for February 2009).
Ruth von Fuchs, Editor
- Free To Go vol 10, no 3 (July - September, 2008):
- A March, 2009 Postscript to the Free To Go newsletter:
2008-04-14
The Supreme Court's Other Mistakes
A detailed critical analysis of the written judgement produced by Supreme Court judges McLachlin, L'Heureux-Dubé, Gonthier, Iacobucci, Major, Binnie and Arbour, made public on January 18, 2001, concerning Robert Latimer.
A Courageous Battle written by Susan Bracken
Susan Bracken, a member of the Right to Die Society of Canada and also one of our Advisors, has written a novel which is both enjoyable and useful. Entitled A Courageous Battle, it explores universal themes – overcoming adversity, finding and losing love, overcoming grief and fear – through the life and death of Lacey Wilson.
Lacey rises above neglect and abuse to find fame and riches and true love. Then cancer strikes. Lacey’s daughter Jana accepts her mother’s wish to die her in her own way and at her own time, but Lacey’s doctor has objections. Unfortunately, Jana and the doctor are in love. Will Lacey’s hopes be fulfilled?
The reason the book is useful as well as enjoyable is that it includes a thoroughly-researched Appendix providing information on legal rights (such as jurors’ right to nullify, as they did with Dr. Henry Morgentaler), advance directives regarding medical treatment, organizations that promote aid in dying, and scholarly works on “the final freedom”.
As the fourth comment suggests, Bracken wants to strike a chord with boomers and others whose life situation is making them begin to think about their closing chapter. She hopes they will come to see assisted dying as a worthy cause to espouse. They can ask for the book at their library, tell their friends about it, and give it as a gift. It is a non-profit project – modestly priced on www.amazon.ca and readable for free on www.susanbracken.ca.
- Some Readers’ Comments:
- Brian Finnemore, M.D. (also an Advisor to RTDSC) reviewed the book and reports that it is “An interesting story with a powerful message. The Appendix is wonderfully comprehensive and complete.”
- “A tragic and joyful story of death, desire, loss, and renewal. A good read.” (Russel Ogden, Dept. of Sociology, Kwantlen Polytechnic University)
- “A busy book, rich in life and love, ending with a graceful death.” (Derek Humphry, best-selling author of Final Exit)
- “Bracken cleverly harnesses the romance novel genre to draw the reader into confrontation with the realities of disease and demise. The Appendix adds to the value of this book”. (Jerry Metz, M.D., Medical Director, Final Exit Network)