Assisted Suicide: The Topic of Films and Books

    /24-7PressRelease/ - EDMONTON, AB, CANADA, January 15, 2007 - A person's right to die has been the focus of many movies over the years, including award winning films Million Dollar Baby, starring Hilary Swank and Clint Eastwood, and The Sea Inside, directed by Alejandro Amenábar, and EXIT: The Right to Die, an advocacy piece filmed in Switzerland.

The literary world has also addressed the topic of assisted suicide. Unplugged: Reclaiming Our Right to Die in America and Final Exit: The Practicalities of Self-Deliverance and Assisted Suicide for the Dying, are non-fiction books that explore the topic in great detail. And April 2007 (just two months before the release of the infamous 'Dr. Death' a.k.a. Jack Kevorkian) sees the release of Whale Song, the highly anticipated 'assisted suicide novel' by Canadian author Cheryl Kaye Tardif. Whale Songis a work of fiction that was called "moving...sweet and sad" by Booklist.

Whale Song is published by Kunati Books and explores a young woman's search for answers years after the mysterious and tragic assisted suicide of her mother who was suffering from Primary Pulmonary Hypertension. As a child, the main protagonist is haunted by strange visions and lost memories. She is faced with every emotion--heartbreak, sorrow, fear, guilt, and finally forgiveness and hope. Whale Song is a novel for almost any age, since Cheryl Kaye Tardif tackles the controversial subject with delicate compassion. Whale Song neither endorses nor condemns assisted suicide or the right to die, but it does leave the reader thinking about their own mortality.

In a recent interview, Tardif stated, "Assisted suicide is one of the most horrifying scenarios a person could imagine...it is an issue that has fascinated and saddened me." Questioned further about her own personal feelings regarding this issue, she went on to say, "Given the right circumstances and knowing the suffering that a loved one is enduring, I might consider it, if there was no other alternative and no hope. I am not saying I agree or disagree, but I can understand how someone may feel it is the only option. If it was your mother and she was begging you to end her misery and pain, would you do it?"

Euthanasia, assisted suicide, the right to die or dying with dignity has and always will be a topic of controversy. And with the expected release of the infamous 'Dr. Death', a.k.a. Jack Kevorkian, in June 2007, assisted suicide is making headlines once again. Kevorkian has claimed responsibility for at least 130 assisted deaths, and he claims he will live out his life writing and speaking. Upon his release, he will be 79. He suffers from numerous ailments and may have less than a year to live.

While some may think Kevorkian is Satan's spawn, others believe he is a merciful angel. Certainly, his actions have made the world question both medical practices and legal systems. Right to die organizations have sprung up all over the world in the past two or more decades, including Compassion and Choices in the US and Dying with Dignity in Canada. Most of these organizations believe in educating the public in their right to choose how they want to end their life when faced with a debilitating disease.

Books like Whale Song and films like Million Dollar Baby will always provoke the controversy of assisted suicide, as they are meant to. Perhaps as we become more educated on the chronic pain and suffering that many endure, we will find a more acceptable solution.

Upcoming Radio Interviews:
Mystery author Cheryl Kaye Tardif to guest on Internet Voices Radio on Monday, January 15th, 2007, with host Lillian Cauldwell. The interview will air at 4:30 EST. Cheryl will be discussing her upcoming new release Whale Song.

ArtistFirst Radio Network on Wednesday, January 24th, 2007, with a re-broadcast on April 3rd. Both dates will air at 7:00 PM Eastern Time.

For more information, please visit: http://www.whalesongbook.com.

To listen to Internet Voices Radio broadcast: http://www.internetvoicesradio.com

To listen to ArtistFirst broadcasts: http://www.artistfirst.com

~ Cheryl Kaye Tardif is a freelance journalist, book reviewer and editor. She is also the author of three mystery novels set in Canada, including the highly anticipated 'assisted suicide novel' Whale Song, which will release in April 2007 by provocative publisher Kunati Books. http://www.kunati.com/catalog_whale_song

Please visit Cheryl Kaye Tardif's official website: http://www.cherylktardif.com

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