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Woodhaven Woman Wants To End Own Life To Donate Organs

WOODHAVEN (WWJ) - A Woodhaven woman who's suffering from MS says she'd like to be able to take her own life to help others through organ donation.

Sherri Muhzer, 43, has been housebound for 11 years due to her condition.

Dealing with the late stages of the disease, Muhzer told WWJ's Sandra McNeil her quality of life is "pretty bad."

Muhzer said that her lungs have been ruined by the disease but her other organs are still viable.

"It would be a wonderful legacy to be able to help in this way," Muhzer said.  "There are too few organ donors — and if my organs are fine, why not?" she said.

Wayne State Medical Ethicist Lance Gable said it's an interesting argument, but there are multiple issues to consider.

"It's a compelling case that she has and I think it's a discussion that we should be having," Gable said.  "But we have to have a very careful discussion to make sure that if something like this were permitted that it would be done in a way that would allow people to not have exploitation."

Assisted suicide is illegal in Michigan and 45 other states; and, according to Gable, there is no state that allows assisted suicide in order to harvest organs.

"The concern is ... that people would be pressured into doing this [assisted suicide]," Gable said.  "If this were to be permitted there would have to be very strong legal safeguards to prevent against abuse and corrosion."

[For information about registering as an organ donor in Michigan, click here].

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