In episode 307 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Alicia Duncan.
Alicia is a writer, soon-to-be-published author and, in her words, advocates for transparency, ethical oversight, and accountability in Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) system.
Alicia’s advocacy comes from her own experience of the MAiD system. In 2021, Alicia’s mother died through accessing MAiD, despite not being terminally ill.
Alicia’s mother’s case became the first MAiD-related death in Canada to be investigated by police. However, the investigation was forced to close when health authorities refused to release Alicia’s mother’s assessment records.
In this episode we discuss Alicia’s mental health journey, which centres around her mother’s life, illness and subsequent death via the MAiD system. We discuss the injustice Alicia felt at the events which transpired, how that impacted her grief, and how she’s channelled the grief into the work she does now.
We also have a healthy debate about the pros and cons of assisted dying itself and some of the media work Alicia has done to highlight this issue. This includes featuring in a BBC documentary on the subject called ‘Better Off Dead?’, which was fronted by actor, commentator and disability activist Liz Carr.
As always, #itsokaytovent
You can find out more about Alicia’s work here.
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TRIGGER WARNING: this podcast contains a deep discussion about grief and loss, which some listeners may find distressing or upsetting, so please listen with caution.
