Your Incredible Neighbors: Facing reality about death and dying

“Until laws protect the right of every person to a peaceful, dignified death, Final Exit Network will be there to support those who need relief from their suffering today.” This is Final Exit’s statement of purpose. It’s a national group that has close to 4,000 members since being founded in September 2004.

Vice president, secretary, founding member and Green Valley resident Ila DeLuca says, “The hardest part is getting people to accept reality… that we’re all going to die.”

Founded when there were major differences of philosophy and focus as the Hemlock Society and Compassion in Dying merged to become End of Life Choices, Final Exit Network has specific guidelines for anyone contemplating making a final exit because life has become medically unbearable.

“When someone comes to us, they do not have to be terminal—but their disease needs to be incurable—and one that is making life unbearable,” DeLuca said.

It’s important to sign all Advance Directive papers and have them appropriately filed while mentally competent, she advised.

“When someone comes to us they want to know how to die. We cannot do anything regarding pain control; we cannot assist with a suicide,” she explained.

Two “exit guides” are appointed to any applicant planning their final exit; they will have gone through four days of highly intensive training. A junior exit guide must have guided five applicants making their final exit before becoming a senior exit guide.

DeLuca explained Final Exit Network’s method of suicide as the “Helium Method” that requires a tank of helium and a specially designed plastic hood.

An exit guide will tell the applicant what is needed, where to procure it and will guide—but cannot assist—how to use the process for a quick, painless and easy exit.

“There is no sense of suffering… The applicant must do the exit by himself; exit guides may watch… It takes three to four seconds to lose consciousness because no oxygen is entering the body. Depending on the size of the applicant’s body, death will occur in five to 15 minutes,” DeLuca said.

She’s been actively involved with Right to Die groups for 25 years and has had her share of dealing with death, both sudden and prolonged. Her first husband died in an industrial accident when she had two young children and her 16-year-old son died in a skiing accident.

Both parents suffered agonizing prolonged deaths, so DeLuca said she’s witnessed the shock of sudden and accidental deaths along with relief of seeing the suffering of loved ones ended.

Membership in the national Final Exit Network is $50 per individual or $75 per couple annually; life memberships are $500 per person and $750 per couple.

DeLuca said FEN is a “virtual” organization, meaning it has no headquarters, no office. There’s a medical committee of MDs, a psychiatrist and psychologist. Some conversation between an applicant and a committee member may be done by phone conferencing. FEN pays airfare and expenses for doctors to come to the applicant.

Just recently, a local man with an incurable disease who had learned about Final Exit Network ended his unbearable life peacefully. “He was so intelligent he could face reality… his family disagreed with him,” DeLuca said.

Along with promoting use of advance directives FEN will advocate for members when their directives are not being honored.

DeLuca’s main message is “Death is a reality; it’s an absolute necessity to face reality… Final Exit Network provides a choice so you can die on your own terms—at a time, in a manner and a place of your own choosing.”

For further information 24/7, call 1-800-524-3948 or go to www.FinalExit Network.org. Ila DeLuca may be reached at 648-7128.

Ellen Sussman is a freelance writer in Green Valley. Contact her at ellen2414@cox.net.