Juliana L’Heureux, RN, BS, MHSA Brunswick

The Church World, Catholic Diocese of Portland Maine, Nov. 16, 2000, at 3

A melted thick white pillar candle, its wax sagging from hours of vigilant burning, sits like a melting ice statue on my family-room coffee table. I believe this candle is the light of Mother Theresa of Calcutta whom I prayed to every day for strength and courage while helping to fight the political battle to defeat Question One, the physician-assisted suicide referendum on the November ballot in Maine.

Perhaps prayer motivated the support of Maine’s Franco-Americans and Irish-Catholics, added to the other traditional and religious voting groups, that eventually defeated Question One, preventing physician-assisted suicide from becoming law.

Our coalition learned a lot about prayer during the months it took to defeat physician-assisted suicide. Our ultimately successful efforts were the result of carefully constructed political strategies, a successful public media campaign to educate the public about the dangers of physician-assisted suicide and faith in our collective abilities to defeat the referendum question.

We prayed for courage because in August of 2000, public opinion polls showed 72 percent of the Maine public supported physician-assisted suicide.

Maine Citizens Against the Dangers of Physician-Assisted Suicide was the secular coalition managed by PAStrategies of Portland, and comprised of members from several medical associations and advocacy groups for the disabled. The secular group worked alongside the Coalition for Compassionate Care of the Dying, a political action committee formed by the Diocese of Portland to defeat the referendum proposed by Maine Death With Dignity supporters. If Question One passed, Maine would become the second state after Oregon to legalize physician-assisted suicide. An endorsement by Maine voters would undoubtedly move the National Hemlock Society’s agenda forward to the point where legalized physician-assisted suicide would eventually, over time, become an acceptable medical treatment for end-of-life care.

"Is your Mother Theresa candle still burning?" asked Kandyce Powell, the Executive Director of the Maine Hospice Council when she called fora political update about one week before election day

Fueling our passion for prayer was wagon master and political strategist Chris Pothoim who strongly urged both coalitions to "bring out the Catholic vote" to defeat physician-assisted suicide. Indeed, Pothoim wanted to see a better than two and a half to one Catholic vote, which meant Franco-American voters had to rise up by the thousands to vote no on the question.

"Julie, is your Mother Theresa candle still burning?" asked a devout Teresa McCann Tumidajski. campaign manager for the Catholic Coalition for Compassionate Care of the Dying. Theresa summoned us to prayer like a bandleader who keeps an orchestra on key, even when many musicians cannot play a tune. Her prayerful messages were courageous in light of the daunting tasks we had to accomplish everyday.

Personally, I vowed to write at least one letter, or at least a note, every day to someone who might be influenced against support for physician-assisted suicide.

An answer to our prayers for more manpower came from the Maine Right to Life organization which infused energy into the "No on One" campaign like oxygen administered to an exhausted marathon runner.

Mega-tons of thanks go to Dick Traynor, Patricia DeGrinney and Maine Right to Life for their steadfast support of aggressive secular efforts to educate Maine voters about the dangers of physician-assisted suicide.

Despite the success of two coalitions, plus the support of Maine Right To Life and a superb public media campaign, victory was strn a challenge unless the Catholic vote Included large numbers of FrancoAmericans voting no.

"Don’t worry, my Mother Theresa candle is still burning," I told Marc Mutty, the Roman Catholic Diocese communications director.

Auxiliary Bishop Michael R. Cote released a decisive French language message. "N,oublions pas que le suicide demeure toujours un peche grave avec des consequences serieuses pour nos familles, nos communautes et pour la societe," wrote Bishop Cote in a letter directed to all Franco-Americans.

Further emphasis on the Franco-American vote came from Lewiston native Madeleine Gi-guere who spoke against physician-assisted suicide on a radio commercial.

Mother Theresa’s candle was flickering with energy late on election eve when Potholm called with the final tracking poll taken before voting day

"I predict a slim victory for the no vote," said Potholm.

Election returns showed a large turnout for the no vote from cities, towns and counties with distinct Franco-American populations. Indeed, all but two towns in Aroostook County voted no on Question One. Likewise, Androscoggin County voted "No" by a large majority as did cities like Augusta, Biddeford and Saco. The Town of Sanford rejected the question by a large margin as well.

We could just imagine Pothoim singing the French national anthem La Marseillaise while he tracked election night poll results until 2:30 a.m.   "The FrancoAmerican voter turnout was essential to defeat physician-assisted suicide," says Potholm.

Oddly, I tried lighting my Mother Theresa candle as a thank-you memorial on the day after the election, but the worn out wick simply would not catch the flame.

Perhaps Mother Theresa was resting after lighting our way during the difficult and arduous days before we finally defeated physician-assisted suicide.

Surely, I will light the candle again when we get back to work improving end-of-life care in Maine to the leveis of excellence where physician-assisted suicide will never be considered an option.

"A lovely win for all of society, not just for Maine," wrote Peter McGuire, M.D., in a congratulatory message after the election. "In the physician’s Hippocratic Oath, Hippocrates wrote as a visionary who saw the impending moral decay in Greece and the need to keep physicians pure and holy ‘In purity and holiness I will guard my life and my art’, said Hippocrates."

Thanks, Dr. McGuire, Mother Theresa of Calcutta and everyone who voted no.