The strength it takes to suffer [MAID story of J. Randall Curtis, MD, MPH, intensive care and palliative medicine pioneer]
JAMA Intern Med., by Alice Curtis, Amy Hamblin, MA, and William E. Rosa, PhD, MBE, APRN; 3/4/24
J. Randall Curtis, MD, MPH—my dad (A.C.) and my husband (A.H.)—was an intensive care and palliative medicine pioneer whose impact as a researcher, mentor, and humanist was legend long before his death. When Randy first revealed his diagnosis publicly, he said it was exhausting being strong. ... Throughout his career and illness [ALS], Randy came to appreciate medical aid in dying (MAID) as an ethical way for physicians to care for patients. The moral edict of medicine—first, do no harm—does not mean, nor can it mandate, the ultimate prevention of death, but rather that the physician’s role is to ease suffering at all stages of living and dying. For Randy, the only end to his extreme suffering while ALS was surely killing him was the overwhelming act of hastening his own death. In his case, he was his own most compassionate physician.
Editor's Note: For another perspective, see this newsletter's article "Editorial: 'Right to Die' debate comes to Illinois," by The Editorial Board of the Chicago Tribune.
