Home / Health / MAID denied: Catholic hospital policy blocks dying wish
MAID denied: Catholic hospital policy blocks dying wish
23 Feb
Summary
- Patient approved for MAID but died waiting in a Catholic hospital.
- Hospital policy prohibited MAID, requiring a transfer to another facility.
- Family faced difficult choices due to faith-based restrictions on care.
William Hume, diagnosed with late-stage gastroesophageal cancer, was approved for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID). However, he died on September 5, 2026, at Edmonton's Grey Nuns Community Hospital before his scheduled MAID procedure. This occurred because the hospital, operated by Covenant Health, prohibits MAID administration due to its Catholic affiliation.
Hume's family was informed that he would need to be transferred to another facility to receive MAID, a process described as a "forced transfer." This requirement added significant stress during his final days. Despite being approved for MAID, William Hume passed away at age 79, just hours before his appointment, leaving his family to question the influence of religious policies on medical decisions.
Health Canada data from 2024 indicates that around two percent of MAID recipients, totaling 349 individuals, had to transfer facilities due to institutional policies. Alberta and Manitoba reported the highest proportion of such transfers in recent years. A court challenge in British Columbia is currently questioning the right of faith-based organizations to prohibit MAID within their facilities, with potential ramifications for other provinces.
