Should those who are dying have the right to determine when their life will end? That’s the question Diane Rehm, renowned radio host, set out to explore when she began writing her new book, When My Time Comes. Through a series of candid and compassionate interviews with terminally ill patients, caregivers, health care providers, ethicists, faith leaders, policymakers, and more, the book gives voice to a broad range of people personally linked to the realities of medical aid on dying. Their perspectives offer arguments- both for and against- Right-to-Die policies currently being debated across the country. Watch Diane discuss those conversations, her own personal connection to the Right-to-Die movement, and the soon-to-be-released documentary based on her book, with Adrienne Brodeur, Executive Director of Aspen Words. This book talk took place on June 16, 2020, as part of our Aspen Ideas: Health 20/20 digital series. Watch and share!
About the Speakers:
Diane Rehm
Author; Podcast Host, “On My Mind”
Diane Rehm is host of the podcast, “On My Mind.” For 37 years, she hosted “The Diane Rehm Show” on WAMU/NPR, where she began as a volunteer. She then became an assistant producer and later host and producer of two health-oriented programs. Rehm is the author of four autobiographical books and, most recently, When My Time Comes: Conversations About Whether Those Who Are Dying Should Have the Right to Determine When Life Should End. A director emerita of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation, she is the recipient of numerous honors, including the National Humanities Medal, a Personal Peabody Award, and one of Washingtonian magazine’s 100 Most Powerful Women.
Adrienne Brodeur
Author; Executive Director, Aspen Words
Adrienne Brodeur is the author of the memoir, “Wild Game,” which was named a best book of 2020 by NPR, People, Amazon, Slate, Buzzfeed and the Washington Post, among others, and is in development for film. During her 15 years in the publishing industry, she founded the literary magazine “Zoetrope: All-Story” with filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, was an acquiring editor at HMH Books, and served as a judge for the National Book Award. Her essays have appeared in Glamour, O Magazine, The National, The New York Times, Vogue and other publications. She is the Executive Director of Aspen Words.
