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6312 SW Capitol Hwy, Suite 410 |
"I thank all of you at COMPASSION on behalf of my dad and myself. Without your help, dad would not have had pain relief at the end, and I may have had to do a ‘terrible thing’. There are not words enough to thank all of you, but you are all angels."
-The son of a COMPASSION patient.
COMPASSION IN DYING of Oregon was established in Portland, Oregon in November 1997. We organized after the passage of the Oregon Death with Dignity Act. Our mission is to provide emotional, social and spiritual support to help individuals (as well as their families and caregivers) face the end-of-life with courage and grace, and achieve a humane and peaceful death as defined by them at the final stages of their lives.
COMPASSION, through its network of professional volunteers, offers consultation regarding the broad range of end-of-life options. These include pain management, palliation, hospice care, and for mentally competent people who make an enduring and voluntary request, information about hastening death to avoid further suffering.
We work with dying patients in accordance with Oregon's Death with Dignity Act to obtain prescriptions for effective medications to hasten their death. We cooperate with their own physicians or provide referrals to physicians who support the right of individuals to make considered and informed choices at the end-of-life. We follow strict guidelines and safeguards of our own and adhere to all of the requirements of the Oregon Death with Dignity Act. This procedure assures dying patients they will have a safe and dignified death, and also protects vulnerable patients and the interests of society.
Our first year of service to Oregonians was very successful. COMPASSION answered more than 350 calls from persons requesting information about end-of-life options. We provided 100 persons with follow up information and support, and case managed over 50 terminally ill patients facing end-of-life decisions. Detailed information about our first year can be found in our FYI NEWSLETTER: Volume 2.
COMPASSION believes all qualified individuals should have access to information and support on the full range of end-of-life options. It is for this reason COMPASSION does not charge for its services. COMPASSION relies on tax-deductible contributions from those who support our work. Support of our work through donations is critical to our ability to advocate for and support Oregonian's in their decisions about quality of life at the end-of- life. If you are financially able, please download this printable form and become a contributing member of COMPASSION IN DYING of Oregon.
COMPASSION provides information and support to patients, families, caregivers and healthcare professionals. If you or someone you know would like additional information on end-of-life options and/or the services that we provide, please fill out this form and we will do our best to answer questions and offer support.
