Abstract

In the sphere of end-of-life care, the fear of being a burden on loved ones is a significant factor in patients seeking assisted suicide or euthanasia. The claims of altruism and love that support such decisions are misplaced, and the possibility of being a burden must be reimaged within a proper anthropology. Allowing oneself to be a burden is a significant aspect not only of loving human relationships, but of a human nature that is essentially dependent and created in the image of God.