Canadians offered euthanasia after being denied medical treatment.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Tomas Ponsilius

Alicia Wang reported for CBC news on October 26 that Tomas Ponzilius who lives in Manitoba with hypermobility spectrum disorder, which is part of the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome spectrum, has been turned down for by the Manitoba government to receive treatment in the US for his condition, treatment that is not offered in Manitoba. Wang explains in her report:

Ehlers-Danlos is a rare genetic condition that affects connective tissues in the body. It makes the collagen in Ponzilius’s body weaker and causes cervical instability, or instability at the part of the spine holding up the head.

Because of this, he experiences vision and breathing problems, along with extreme pain in his neck.

Ponzilius said he’s run out of pain medication because he can’t afford it and it’s not covered by the province, and is cutting back on other treatments for the pain that cost $700 per month. He’s now opened a GoFundMe to help cover his costs.

He’s asking Manitoba Health to approve his request to go to the U.S. for a cervical fusion, a surgical procedure that would stabilize his neck. It would cost about $200,000, but getting it would be “everything,” he said.

The article explains that Manitoba Health turned down his request for treatment in the US and the province requested more proof that there wasn’t sufficient care in Manitoba. Ponzilius has appealed the Manitoba Health decision.

Tammy Stadt, the Ehlos-Danlos foundation's resources director, said that the province's request for more proof that Ponzilius can't get the care he needs in Manitoba places an unfair burden on him.

In an article published on reddit Ponzilius stated that:

They will even approve MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying) over care solely because of the money and broken systems. (Read up on Sathya Dhara Kovac, a Winnipeg woman with ASL who did not want to die but saw no way out as her care was not enough to survive.)

Euthanasia (MAiD) is not the answer to Tomas Ponzilius's condition. Treatment is the answer.

Ponzilius is not the only one facing this dilemma.

Brian Milligan

Brian Milligan who is a retired military veteran in Nova Scotia who is living with Lyme disease. Milligan has been living with seizures and flu-like symptoms since 2015.

Milligan recently completed a 40 day hunger strike to gain attention to the lack of treatment options for people with Lyme disease in Nova Scotia.

Milligan stated in an instragram post that:

Battled and advocated for appropriate medical care in Nova Scotia for years, but was instead granted Medical Assistance In Dying (MAID). All while telling the doctors he did NOT want to die, he just wanted appropriate healthcare.

Milligan explains in a youtube video his experience with being approved for euthanasia (MAiD) while being denied treatment.

Canadians are dying by euthanasia after being denied treatment.

Jennyfer Hatch

Then there is the case of a woman in BC, known at Kat, who was living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Kat sought death and was approved for euthanasia, not because she wanted to die, but because she unsuccessfully fought to receive treatment. She said it was easier to be approved for MAiD than to receive treatment to live.

I was communicating with Kat for several months and then she stopped responding.

Tristan Hopper reported in the National Post on December 5, 2022 that Jennyfer Hatch, the woman who was featured in the Simons commercial that promoted euthanasia, was also Kat, the woman  whodidn't want to die but she was unable to access needed healthcare for Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.