The journalist Ash Kelly discusses the new podcast, I Am Madeline, which she hosts and co-produces, on one woman’s struggle with a disease and MAiD (medical assistance in dying), with Joseph Planta.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.

There’s a new podcast that debuted this week, I Am Madeline. Its host and co-producer, Ash Kelly joins me now to discuss it. The first episode is riveting, informative and gives much to think about. First off, we meet Madeline. That’s not her real name, but she’s the name Ash and her co-producer Kelvin Gawley have given her. She deserves some anonymity, as what she’s going through isn’t easy. Madeline leads a full, productive and fulfilling life, helping others through a lot of unpaid volunteer work. She gives back to her community, all the while suffering through a debilitating disease ME/CFS, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. Ash will tell us how difficult life is for Madeline as she struggles day to day. Her quality of life is diminished, and the treatment to make it all manageable is quite costly. To the point where it seems Madeline will not be able to afford, literally to live for much longer. She has made the decision, thanks to MAiD, medical assistance in dying, here in Canada, to end her life in mid-July. I ask Ash about the costs involved, and she’ll break it down, as well as Madeline’s frustration with the various systems around us: medical, political, as well as financial, that seem to keep her down. We’re all susceptible to ME/CFS, but women, as well as people of colour are more so. And thanks to misogyny that Ash touches upon in our conversation, as well as in future episodes, it’s been largely undiagnosed, and mistreated. What I found fascinating is while I was pondering the ethics of MAiD (I think a humane society ought to have something like this as we have here in Canada), there are the ethical imperatives like somebody such as Madeline, considering it as the financial toll of her illness are too much. How this is all related to long-haul COVID is something that Ms. Kelly looks at too, not to mention how governments have treated the disabled through the pandemic. The first episode at least of I Am Madeline is far from bleak, there’s humour, as well as Madeline’s bright, effervescent personality, not to mentioning singing voice that punctuate and illuminate the questions we as a society have to ask of ourselves. Ash Kelly is an award-winning journalist, most recently of News 1130, and before that at CBC Vancouver. Since stepping away from daily journalism, she now devotes a lot of her time with the business she co-founded, Dialed Bike Service. You can hear I Am Madeline through all the podcasting apps. The Twitter handle for more is @IamMADELINEpod, and Ash can be found through @AshDKelly. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Ash Kelly; Ms. Kelly, good morning.

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