A Taiwanese couple in their 80s who have been caring for their blind and paralyzed daughter for 53 years have insisted that they would never consider euthanasia. No matter how hard their job is, Lin Ting-chih, 81, and her husband Chiang Yu-chao, 82, plan to soldier on. “We will not let someone else look after her,” says the wife. We will care for her ourselves and eventually see who is going to fall first.”

Their daughter, Chiang Yu-chao, became paralysed shortly after her first birthday and became blind at six. She has never been exposed to sunlight. Her bones have become so brittle that the couple must take extreme care in turning her and cleaning her. Although there is a movement in Taiwan for euthanasia in such cases, Lin says: “No way. I will not let that happen to my daughter.”

• Author
• Recent Posts

Michael Cook

Michael Cook edits BioEdge, a bioethics newsletter, and MercatorNet, an on-line magazine whose focus is human dignity. He writes from Sydney, Australia.

Latest posts by Michael Cook (see all)

• How long can you put off seeing the doctor because of lockdowns? - December 3, 2021
• House of Lords debates assisted suicide—again - October 28, 2021
• Spanish government tries to restrict conscientious objection - October 28, 2021