Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
In Belgium, where euthanasia is legal, patients facing terminal illnesses have varying choices: some choose to end their lives voluntarily to preserve their dignity, and others cling to life despite the pain. Between these two options, moving human stories unfold, raising profound ethical and personal questions about the meaning of dignity and the right to life and death. According to what was published by the European news network Euronews in Brussels over the weekend, it added, "In Brussels, where laws allow patients with incurable diseases the right to request euthanasia, stories of characters emerge that reflect this humanitarian and ethical debate.
Between those who see euthanasia as an option for dignity and others who prefer to continue living in any way, there is a profound divide surrounding this practice.
Inès de Caune, a dynamic artist based in Brussels, is one of those people who has chosen to seek help to end her life. Despite her great interest in art and music, she suffers from a disease that is causing her to gradually lose control of her body and her ability to speak.
Inès de Caune says in French, "I don't want to be a burden to anyone. I don't want anyone to wash me. That's what illness does: it destroys the body." I don't want him to take away my dignity." Then she adds in a sad voice, "It's better to have my children by my side... I go to my room and get a little help to sleep."
On the other side stands Alejandro Adonis, a journalist and television cameraman who suffers from a serious and advanced illness, but his choice was different. Although he had previously requested euthanasia, he now rejects this option, emphasizing his desire to continue living as long as possible.
Dr. Yves De Lucht, a general practitioner in Belgium and a proponent of euthanasia, explains that this option offers patients a "last chance," which he considers a "final treatment." He describes the procedure as being quick, lasting only minutes.
Dr. De Lucht adds, "The last chance is what I call 'final treatment.' It's helping patients die."
Jacqueline Herremans, a lawyer and chair of the Euthanasia Monitoring Committee in Belgium, highlights the societal change that has resulted from the legalization of this practice. "We've turned the practice upside down," says Herremans. It is no longer the doctor who provides treatment. Rather, it is the patient who requests the doctor's assistance in dying, and the doctor must obey the patient.
She adds, "Healthcare staff, doctors, and family can all be present. This means that death, which previously could be a lonely experience, has become an act of solidarity."
With the expansion of euthanasia in Belgium, the number of patients seeking assistance to end their lives has increased significantly. Belgium is one of the few countries in Europe that grants its citizens this right if they are suffering from an incurable disease and unbearable pain, provided the request is voluntary and the person is able to give their consent.
Ultimately, this debate reflects a profound divergence in how death is treated in modern societies. While some, like Inès de Caune, believe that death should be a personal choice that preserves dignity, others, like Alejandro Adonis, assert that life is worth continuing until the final moments.