Supports help dispel the desire to die: the case of Elizabeth Bouvier
At VP-Net’s 2006 Spring Institute, Judith Heumann discussed the case of Elizabeth Bouvier in the United States to illustrate how a lack of supports can lead to despair and a desire to die. Heumann explained that Elizabeth Bouvier, a woman with cerebral policy, entered a hospital and requested assistance to die. However, according to the view of many people, this woman was clinically depressed due to the fact that she had lost her job and her husband, all of which was affecting her desire to die. Despite these factors, it was her disability to which her despair was ascribed and when her request was brought to the highest court of California, the decision was made in her favour, to allow her to die, despite her obvious need for emotional support. Although this woman is still alive, despite the court decision, Heumann explained that the case is troubling because it provides an example of how the courts support the belief that it is easier to allow people with disabilities to die then provide the support they need to find hope and meaning in life.
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