Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
Sign the Petition: Roger Foley needs to be fed. (Petition Link)
Once again, Roger Foley is not being fed.
On June 12, 2025 EPC launched a petition to the Ontario Minister of Health Hon. Sylvia Jones, and LHSC Patient Relations, stating that Roger Foley needs to be fed. At that point Roger had not been fed for five weeks.
Roger lives with Spino cerebellar ataxia type 14, a degenerative neurological condition. Roger is able to be fed normally, with assistance but his condition causes him to have severe photo sensitivity (photophobia) to regular lighting.
On June 12, 2025 EPC launched a petition to the Ontario Minister of Health Hon. Sylvia Jones, and LHSC Patient Relations, stating that Roger Foley needs to be fed. At that point Roger had not been fed for five weeks.
LHSC had inserted an IV that provided fluids and some essential nutrients but they were not feeding Roger. After we launched the petition the LHSC agreed to provide a limited feeding for Roger. More recently his IV was removed and the LHSC is only providing water.
Roger lives with Spino cerebellar ataxia type 14, a degenerative neurological condition. Roger is able to be fed normally, with assistance but his condition causes him to have severe photo sensitivity (photophobia) to regular lighting.
The stand-off between the hospital and Roger concerns the level of lighting. The staff insist that it is not safe to feed Roger without more light but Roger insists that his reaction to the regular lighting is so intense that he requires special lighting. Recently Roger contacted the CNIB who confirmed that he has severe photo sensitivity.
It
is ridiculous that an Ontario hospital is not feeding a man with a degenerative neurological condition who is capable of eating with assistance. It takes a long time
to die by starvation but without nutrition Roger will die.
Roger cannot live on water alone and he couldn't live (long term) with an IV alone.
He is able to eat with assistance. Roger needs to be fed.
Sign and share the Petition: Roger Foley needs to be fed. (Petition Link)
If you live in London Ontario and are willing to visit Roger, contact me at: alex@epcc.ca
Previous articles:
17 comments:
Would it help if Roger was able to wear room darkening glasses to avoid the bright lighting? He will suffer terribly if they are allowed to starve him to death.
He has a set of goggles that he wears to enable him to be fed. They were feeding him for a short period of time and now they have decided to only give him water. The previous articles explain that for 5 years they were feeding him with only his special light on but in May there was a complaint filed that it wasn't safe to feed him wihout full lighting. They could install special lights.
The manner in which LHSC has treated Roger has been utterly appalling, as is the manner in which it has treated his chosen advocates. He has been consistently deprived of the basic equipment and adjustments to make it possible for him to eat safely and receive the care and treatment his condition requires.
The hospital has conducted its approach to Roger as if it were on a war footing. Defensive, belligerent, and agressive and revengeful, it has put obstacles in his path at every turn, rather than try to accommodate his needs and support him.
I fully support this petition, as does my campaign team at Families Against Involuntary Medical Euthanasia.
Thanks for initiating this, Alex. We are a tiny team, but will do what we can to raise public awareness of Roger's perilous plight and help garner support
This makes me glad or at least reconciled to living in the US without a national health system. Because here, if you or your family or team can find a way to pay for it, Yu will get the special care you need and the government will appoint lawyers to fight the hospital for your right to life. And there are many ways to raise the money or get assistance, contrary to a lot of what is published.
I am curious. Even without light, the hospital can’t find Roger’s mouth to feed him? What about MASH units through unspeakable suffering, could still feed the helpless and scared? EMS has NEVER been put in this situation? I doubt it. It’s probably mandatory training.
Dear Amanda, please provide a link to your web presence. I found something on X that was very impressive. Please share. In fact, why not write a little history of your organization which we can publish? Best regards,
Gordon
This is SICK. Feed him, already! He's a human and is not asking to be euthanized. He just wants what every human deserves - the basic necessities. If he was able-bodied, could work, or had family in politics, how much do you want to bet that he'd be fed and treated like a human! This is DISPICABLE! I stayed in LHSC in the 1990s. It was bad then. This is just an example of how much worse it's become. So glad I don't live there and have to deal with this stuff.
My daughter has SCA19 - and also has issues with lighting. She also wears sunglasses and this has not once ever been an issue. I am horrified to read about this type of mistreatment. Is there no other place that Roger could go to receive appropriate care? Is there no justice or morals left? Has the hippocratic oath to do no harm been swallowed up by the pride of self and arrogance?
Roger is at LHSC due to his stand-off with the Ontario Ministry of Health over the level of care they will provide him at his apartment. The Ontario Ministry of Health has denied Roger access to self-directed care. Roger disability means that he needs help with every daily function. He can eat normally (pureed food) but he needs assistance.
Dear Charlene: Because of how Roger swallows he needs to see the food so that he doesn't regurgitate. But he does have an ability to swallow pureed food.
I hope something is sorted out soon. I signed a petition before. Is this the same one or a different petition? From Helene
Yes this is the same petition. The article refers to the fact that we had started the petition and it did result to him receiving limited feeding but now we are back to the same problem as before.
I've been reading many articles and interviews (CTV National News, The London Free Press, as recent as June 2, 2025, interview with Amanda Achtman). Roger is getting attention from the media. And, of course, the EPC writing to the Minister of Health who extended his feeding. This is a horrible situation. Roger doesn't want to go to LTC and he shouldn't be wasting away in a hospital -- 9 years. I hope his landmark case with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice gets heard soon for self directed home care. The fact that Roger is still paying for his apartment -- something to go back to. Can a Canadian hospital stop providing care against the wishes of the patient? There has to be similar type precedents where the Canadian/Ontario government has paid for "compassionate" type services -- i.e. cancer drugs that are not covered.
This is absolutely EGREGIOUS. Can Canadians not see that we are travelling down a slippery slope that was travelled once before in Nazi Germany? History repeats itself. It is no secret that the current government is under the control of the WEF in Davos, Switzerland. Klaus Schwab's father was a senior member of the Nazi government in the second world war. This is not conspiracy. This is well documented truth. We as Canadians need to take off our rose coloured glasses and realize what is going on and PUT THE BRAKES ON ASAP and turn in a different direction immediately. My heart goes out to Roger. As a Christian I will pray for him. I pray that all the other bodies will do everything in their power to save this man's life. To God every life is precious.
Duty to accommodate is the law!
It’s been a number of years since I’ve commented on this vital site. This is a tragic situation for Roger. Thank you for addressing this and advocating for him. Some might suggest/believe this would not happen in the U.S. We cannot assume that to be the case! We need to be diligent and informed.
From my experience working decades in care facilities in the U.S. I have witnessed food and water taken away from precious elderly residents. Some times the family is not even aware of what is happening.
My very own Dad was in a hospice facility for a 4 day “respite” for my Mom who was his caregiver at home. He was not dying when he went there. On the contrary. He was eating, drinking, talking, no dementia at all. Within 36 hours he was deceased. Upon requesting his medical records, we learned all food and water was taken away within 2 hours of his arrival. When we confronted the facility doctor he said he was dying anyway. And that when you bring someone to a hospice facility you give them permission to die. My Dad wanted to live, and said so many times.
Hiring a lawyer was of no help, even if they desire to. It is because of the laws we were told, as hospice is protected.
This is my 3rd attempt to write a comment today.
Not sure if they’re getting through. The PUBLISH button is pushed….
and nothing.
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