The Durham Main Library and Endswell Funeral Home present Dying on our Terms: Medical Aid in Dying, Palliative Care, and the Right to Choose.

How do we navigate the choices available at the end of life? This panel discussion will explore the complex and often deeply personal questions surrounding medical aid in dying, palliative care, and the broader conversation about individual autonomy at the end of life.
Our speakers represent a range of perspectives:
Jay Niver of the Final Exit Network advocates for the right to die and self-determination in end-of-life decisions.
Ed Tiryakian of Dying Right NC works to advance legislation that would allow medical aid in dying in North Carolina.
Dr. David Fisher, Palliative Care Medical Director at Duke HomeCare and Hospice, offers insight into the role of palliative care in relieving suffering and supporting quality of life at life’s end.  
Joshua Briscoe, MD Medical Director, Hospice and Palliative Medicine
Durham VA Medical Center

Together, these panelists will discuss the medical, ethical, and personal dimensions of this important topic — from the desire for autonomy to the value of palliative care in supporting patients and families. This conversation invites attendees to reflect on what it means to approach death on our own terms, and how we as a society can hold space for differing beliefs and choices at life’s end.

Please note that the panelists' views are their own and do not represent Duke, the VA, or the Federal Government.