🔗 Share this article

Esteemed storyteller Robert Munsch has gained clearance for medical aid in dying in Canada.

Munsch, who has 85 published books are led by Love You Forever, was diagnosed with memory loss in 2021 and additionally suffers from a Parkinson’s diagnosis.

Munsch explained that he is still considering a date for his death, but indicated he would move forward "once I begin experiencing major challenges holding conversations."

Canada began allowing medical assistance in dying in 2016 for people with life-ending conditions. Recently, the legislation expanded to include those with significant ongoing health issues, also under non-life threatening situations.

Munsch has distributed over 80 million copies of his books in North America alone and his stories have been published in over 20 tongues—among them Spanish, Arabic and indigenous languages.

Over twenty years ago, Munsch was honored as part of the Canadian honors system. Ten years after, he received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame located in Toronto.

Munsch revealed that his decision was influenced by observing his brother pass from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, referred to as motor neurone disease.

He stated, "Medical teams prolonged his life with extensive measures. My view was, let him die."

Throughout the country, individuals over 18 must satisfy several criteria to be eligible for assisted dying.

These include having a "grave and untreatable condition", making a "voluntary request" that is not the result of external pressure, and being in an "late stage of permanent deterioration in capability".

Multiple unbiased medical professionals must then assess the patient to confirm that every necessary criteria are fulfilled.

Munsch's literary representative commented that his choice to speak publicly about medically assisted dying "reinforces why Robert's work continues to resonate with countless readers."

Munsch's child, Julie, posted that her dad’s choice to pursue assisted death was made five years ago.

Julie called the article as "well-done", but noted that "nowhere is it indicated my dad is declining rapidly, and certainly not that he's leaving us in the near future."

According to Canadian law, the patient must be capable of actively consent on the time of the procedure.

Munsch stated, "It’s essential I choose the time when I can still ask for it."

Assisted death represented almost five percent of fatalities in Canada in 2023, according to the latest national data.

Approximately 96 percent of the over 15,000 individuals that underwent assisted dying in 2023 had a outcome regarded as "likely imminent", due to severe medical conditions such as cancer.