WELLINGTON The priest who heads the Church’s bioethics agency has slammed euthanasia campaigner Lesley Martins attempt to promote assisted suicide using the case of a disabled woman who starved herself to death. Fr Michael McCabe, director of The Nathaniel Centre, said Margaret Pages decision to end her life by refusing food and fluids is a tragic case. She died on March 30.

Mrs Page, a resident of St John of God, Wellington, was severely disabled as a result of a cerebral haemorrhage 20 years ago. But she was not terminally ill when taking her decision a fact Fr McCabe said was overlooked by most commentators.

In Catholic teaching, the provision of food and water is not considered to be medical treatment, but is rather a fundamental expression of human care, Fr McCabe said.

Accordingly, it is a duty of care to continue to offer food and water, even if a patient refuses them.

The St John of God facility did that, according to reports.

Whether Mrs Page could be legally force-fed had been debated in the media with the Crimes Act allowing forcible suicide prevention, but the Bill of Rights Act enshrining the right to refuse medical treatment.

But assisted-suicide campaigner Lesley Martin is promoting dignity havens where people like Mrs Page facing end-of-life choices could have palliative care, with an option for legalised assistance in dying. Reports say she was contacted by Mrs Pages family.

Fr McCabe said Ms Martin had previously promoted legal euthanasia for the terminally ill wanting death with dignity, but is now effectively advocating assisted suicide to anyone who wants it.

As well as smacking of political opportunism, this shows that the legalisation of assisted suicide will inevitably put us on a slippery slope.

On the one hand, Ms Martin is saying lets make it easier for the elderly people to kill themselves. [But] Age Concern Canterbury has highlighted a hidden problem of suicide among its elderly because too many are suffering from undiagnosed and untreated depression.

Fr McCabe said legalisation of physician-assisted suicide would be an assault on the elderly and would send a message that they have lived their lives and are not valued.

The challenge here is not to make it easier for such people to die, but to reach out to them and to respond to the relational, spiritual and medical needs that emerge at the end of life, he said.

As faith communities, we all need to look at breaking down the isolation that too many elderly people experience.