March 31, 2011

Terri Schiavo Died Six Years ago Today

It was six years ago today, March 31, 2005, that 41-year-old Terri Schiavo succumbed to 13 days of court-ordered dehydration and starvation under the watchful eyes of a security guard posted nearby.

Thousands of protesters were gathered outside her Pinellas Park, Fla., hospice, surveilled by rooftop sharpshooters paid for by the hospice at a cost of $98,162.

Schiavo's estranged husband, Michael Schiavo, and his attorney took turns with her parents and siblings and their attorney holding a bedside vigil during what right-to-die advocates called her "death process," which was triggered by the court-ordered removal of her feeding tube and accompanying ban on oral hydration and nutrition on March 18, 2005.

Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court Judge George Greer's latest death order concluded an 11-year tug of war over Schiavo's life waged by divided family members, and came despite the unprecedented intervention of first the Florida Legislature and Gov. Jeb Bush, and then Congress and President George W. Bush.

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To learn more about the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network, visit the website

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March 3, 2011

Baby Joseph is not in a Vegetative State

Baby Joseph Maraachli's family wish the hospital to perform a simple tracheotomy on him, so that Baby Joseph can spend his final weeks or months in the warmth and loving embrace of home and family.

We ask, if Baby Joseph could speak for himself, would he want to die in a hospital, or, rather, would he not more likely wish to do so in his home with his loving family?

Action: Send Baby Joseph home with his family.

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Supporters of Baby Joseph head to Canada to support parental rights

Pro-Life Blogs:

Baby Joseph Maraachli's family has rejected an offer from the London Health Sciences Centre to transfer the young infant boy home and remove the breathing machine there. The family continues to plea with the hospital to give their son a tracheotomy and to let them care for him at home.

Bobby Schindler and Brother Paul O'Donnell, representatives for the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network, will be traveling to Canada to advocate for Baby Joseph and his family. They will be joined by Pat Mahoney of Christian Defense Coalition along with human and disability rights groups and faith organizations from Canada and the United States. The following events are planned in support of the family's cause to bring Joseph home to care for him:

more here

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February 25, 2011

The Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network Joins Fight to Save Baby Joseph

An infinitely precious innocent life hangs in the balance, as a family is pitted against the medical establishment in a battle for the life of their little boy. The Terri Schiavo Life and Hope Network is entering the battle and stands with the family of Baby Joseph Maraachli. Bobby Schindler meets with the family of baby Joseph who is pleading with the hospital to bring the sick child home during his last days. The hospital is fighting to remove Joseph's life sustaining treatment.

"It is unacceptable for Canadian Health Allocation Officials and/or the Canadian Government to make decisions for Joseph that will end his life and deny the wishes of his loving parents," says Suzanne Vitadamo, spokesperson for the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network (and Terri's sister). "Every patient, regardless of age, has a right to proper and dignified health care. It is frightening to once again see government usurp the God given rights of parents to love and care for their child at home, especially when the child is dying."

Vitadamo went on to say "this is alarming. No hospital has the right to end the life of a child. It's the parent's right to bring Joseph home and care for him if they choose. How do parents lose their choice in such a tender matter?"

Terri's Network urges everyone to keep baby Joseph and his entire family in their prayers.

The Network was established due to the increasing need to help families of vulnerable patients facing crisis situations like this. If anyone knows of a medical facility that would accept baby Joseph on a transfer please contact Terri's Network at 1-855-300-HOPE (4673).

About Terri's Network:

Terri's Network was established by the family members of Terri Schiavo to protect the rights of people with cognitive disabilities. It has communicated with and supported more than 1,000 families, and has been involved in hundreds of cases since Terri's Death. Terri's Network was the recipient of the Gerard Health Foundation Life Prizes Award for their efforts in protecting the value and dignity of the profoundly brain injured.

You can visit Terri's Network (www.terrisfight.org) to learn more about defending the medically vulnerable. Terri's website provides suggestions for observing Terri's Day and how to get involved.

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January 23, 2010

The Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Concert

Friends, many of you were with us during the battle for Terri Schindler Schiavo's life five years ago. We're delighted that the foundation established in her name continues to the good work and will commemorate her death with a "Life and Hope" concert:

Country Legend Randy Travis Headlines the April 11 show in Indianapolis with Opening Act Collin Raye 

The Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation is excited to announce the first annual Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Concert to be held at the Murat Theatre in Indianapolis, Indiana.

This concert showcases two award-winning Country stars in a rare appearance together on the same stage! It promises to be a fabulous music show, long to be remembered by country music fans! The concert comes just days after the fifth anniversary of Terri Schiavo's death and will benefit the Foundation established by her family.

With one of the most recognizable voices in country music and over twenty-five years on the country music charts, Randy Travis is one of the top-ten selling solo country artists of all time. Collin Raye has produced five Platinum Albums, and fifteen #1 hits. But perhaps the closest to Collin's heart is his granddaughter, Haley, who is afflicted with a rare degenerative brain disorder. Collin has worked tirelessly to help find a cure for Haley and has helped other families who are faced with similar situations.

The Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Concert will be Sunday, April 11, 2010, 7 PM at the Murat Theatre in Indianapolis, IN. Tickets are now available through LiveNation.

Funds raised through ticket sales and sponsorships for this event will allow Terri's Foundation to honor her legacy in many ways. Most importantly, it will allow the foundation to continue protecting the lives of vulnerable persons who are in jeopardy of having their lives hastened.

Concert details can be found at www.lifeandhopeconcert.org. For information on Terri's Foundation, please visit www.terrisfight.org.

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The Media Still Gets it Wrong

Nearly five years after the death of Terri Schiavo myth and legend continue to be reported and repeated by the MSM. Bobby Schindler explains in a recent interview with CNA:

"I see that all the time," he continued, " and it simply is not true. They say that she was on artificial life support, without explaining to people what artificial life support means. There's this perception out there that Terri was on a machine - that people like Terri need machines to keep them alive."

"It's still being reported by the mainstream media," Schindler told CNSNews.com on Thursday. "There's things that are being said that were simply not true."

Terri Schiavo died in March of 2005 when a Florida judge ordered the removal of her feeding tube, a move that was requested by her then husband, Michael Schiavo who had custody of her. The case made headlines and was the subject of a public feud on right to life issues. Terri's parents, Robert and Mary Schindler had fought for two years to try and prevent their daughter's death.

Bobby Schindler claimed that the autopsy report following his sister's death showed that she was in good physical shape when her feeding tube was removed, and that the pathologist indicated that Terri could have "quite easily lived a normal life span."

"Terri died because we took away her food and water," Schindler stated, "just like we would all die if our food and water was taken away."

"It took almost two weeks."

According to Schindler, the media continues to report that Terri was brain-dead, that she was on artificial life support, and that she was unresponsive and blind.

"These are simply not factually correct," Schindler stated to CNSNews.com. "It's patently false. If Terri were alive today she could be here to 'March for Life' with us. All she needed was a wheelchair, and we could have taken her anywhere. But there's the perception out there that these people basically need to be bed-ridden, and that they are unable to be taken anywhere. It's just not true."

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August 29, 2009

The Passing of Rober Schindler

We received the sad news that Bob Schindler, father of Terri Schiavo, passed away early this morning:

The family of Robert Schindler, Sr. releases the following statement:

Robert S. Schindler, Sr., of Gulfport, Florida, father of the late Terri Schindler Schiavo, passed away August 29, 2009 from heart failure at Northside Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Robert fought valiantly to save the life of his brain- injured daughter Terri in the landmark right to life case that culminated in her imposed death by court-ordered starvation and thirst on March 31, 2005. After Terri's death, along with his wife Mary, daughter Suzanne (Schindler) Vitadamo and son Bobby Schindler, he founded the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation in St. Petersburg dedicated to supporting other families faced with the same need to fight for the rights of their disabled or otherwise vulnerable loved ones.

Robert was born in Philadelphia on October 23, 1937 and was 71 years of age. Proceeded in death by his daughter Theresa Schindler. He is survived by his wife Mary, daughter Suzanne Vitadamo (Michael), son Bobby Schindler and granddaughter Alexandra.

A Mass of Christian burial with visitation preceding will be scheduled to take place in Philadelphia, PA. Times and location will be announced at a later date.

Memorials may be made to the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation, 5562 Central Avenue, Suite 2, Saint Petersburg, FL 33707, phone (727) 490-7603.

We are quite thankful for the courageous stand Bob Schindler took against euthanasia on behalf of his daughter and the disabled.  He did not seek the limelight or controversy but responded by virtue of his love for his daughter and understanding of truth and justice.

Join me in praying for his family as they grieve the loss of their father.

Jill Stanek and LifeNews have more.

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March 16, 2009

The Shadowy World of Assisted Suicide

Source: National Right to Life

"Mr. [Derek] Humphry said the network's protocols were deliberately written to avoid illegality. 'The person does everything themselves,' he said. ''They don the hood. They tie it around their neck. They reach forward. They turn on the gas.'''

Quoted in yesterday's New York Times. Humphry is chairman of the "Final Exit Network's" advisory board. The group promotes Humphry's suicide manual, "Final Exit."

Two weeks ago I wrote about "Alleged Assisted Suicide Ring Busted." If you're interested you can find out what my take on the Final Exit Network at http://www.nrlc.org/News_and_Views/Feb09/nv022709.html.

Continue reading "The Shadowy World of Assisted Suicide"

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March 15, 2009

New Terri Schiavo Documentary

LifeNews has more info on the new Terri Schiavo documentary:

A new documentary about the life and death of Terri Schiavo presents facts that the mainstream media distorted. Schiavo was killed in a painful starvation and dehydration euthanasia death over the course of nearly two weeks when her former husband won a court order to kill her.

Though the media maintained the disabled woman was in a persistent vegetative state experts say she was in a minimally conscious state and her family indicated she repeatedly interacted with them.

Now, Franklin Springs Family Media has put out a newly-released documentary called The Terri Schiavo Story that it says provides previously unexplored facts of the case through in-depth interviews with participants in the saga.

The documentary is hosted by author and speaker Joni Eareckson Tada, who became personally involved in the case in 2005 and is herself disabled because of a diving accident.

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March 4, 2009

DOCUMENTARY OF THE TERRI SCHIAVO CASE EXPLORES IMPORTANT SOCIAL ISSUES OVERLOOKED BY THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA

more here

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