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In 2013, Barbara Mancini was arrested in Pottsville, Pennsylvania and
prosecuted on the felony charge of aiding the attempted suicide of her
dying 93-year-old father after handing him his prescribed morphine five
days before his death. A hospice nurse and police ignored his written
advance directives, and he was then hospitalized and treated in
defiance of his end-of-life wishes. Barbara’s prosecution lasted a year,
during which time it garnered national attention and was roundly
criticized throughout the media. A judge dismissed the charge against
her in a scathing 46-page ruling. Since then, Barbara has been
advocating for improved care and expanded options at the end of life,
including medical aid-in-dying. She traveled the country speaking about
her experience and was interviewed by Anderson Cooper on TV’s 60
Minutes.

People are widely encouraged to discuss their end-of-life treatment
wishes and goals of care with their health care providers. They are
encouraged to document these wishes in advance directives and POLST
(Pennsylvania Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment). But will these
measures ensure those wishes are honored? Barbara will share what
happened to her mother ten years after the death of her father, and
steps we need to take to advocate for ourselves and our loved ones at
the end of life.

Doors open at 6:45 pm, program starts at 7:00 pm/

Street parking and hospital lot. Septa bus 9. Site is wheelchair accessible.