Shared Experiences Recognize Each Other
This reflection is part of an ongoing series about how The Comfort Project came to be and what we've learned while supporting people pursuing Medical Aid in Dying in Vermont.
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For many people, pursuing Medical Aid in Dying is a complex decision with unpredictable considerations.
There can be complicated family dynamics, differing moral perspectives, practical challenges, unanswered questions, and layers of suffering that are physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual.
Overwhelm is common.
Perhaps you've experienced some of that yourself. Maybe you're carrying questions about a loved one. Maybe you're trying to understand your own options. Maybe you're simply trying to make sense of a path that someone close to you chose.
Whatever brings you here, you're not alone in feeling that this can be a lot to hold.
Over the years, we've accompanied individuals who felt certain one week and unsure the next. We've sat with families navigating different perspectives while trying to stay connected to one another through something none of them expected.
Again and again, we've seen the same thing happen.
When people receive accurate information, compassionate support, and a place where difficult questions can be asked openly, something begins to shift.
Relief becomes possible.
Relief brings comfort.
And comfort is at the heart of why The Comfort Project exists.
The story begins in 2023, when Vermont became the second state in the country to allow people from outside its borders to travel here to pursue Medical Aid in Dying.
Although the law had changed, the support systems people needed had not yet caught up.
Imagine searching online late at night, trying to understand eligibility requirements, doctors' appointments, hospice care, travel logistics, housing, and legal paperwork while living with a terminal illness or supporting someone who is.
That was the reality many people were facing.
Within weeks of Vermont opening its doors to out-of-state residents, two hospice workers in the small town of Brattleboro witnessed these challenges firsthand.
Those hospice workers were Suzanne Baxtresser and Patty Dunn (who became our co-founders).
Independently, both had tried helping people from outside Vermont access Medical Aid in Dying. Both encountered barriers that felt too large to overcome. The experiences stayed heavy in their hearts.
They decided to meet for tea on Patty's patio.
Sitting outside, they discovered something beyond their shared experiences of the obstacles. They found common values, a shared concern for people who were suffering, and a desire to help.
Suzanne later described it this way:
"It felt like two deep roots coming together and sprouting something new."
At the time, neither of them knew where that conversation would lead.
Important things often begin quietly.
Leslie Zucker
Executive Director
The Comfort Project
P.S. If you'd like a seat at the table for future reflections and stories from Vermont, we'd be delighted to stay in touch through Comfort Notes.
