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God and Gov: South Africa Edition
October 28, 2016
'I do not wish to be kept alive at all costs,' Bishop Desmond Tutu recently revealed. We explore the case for assisted dying in South Africa--and the push back.


Kim Cloete
Carol Tuck: Racing Against Time, and South Africa's Assisted Dying Law October 28, 2016
Death was the undercurrent in South Africa from 1948 to 1994, when the government aggressively enforced the policy of apartheid--separate accommodations for blacks and whites. So it’s interesting that in 2016, a different discussion can be heard. About whether or not a person can ask a doctor for direct help in dying. This week, we’ll hear about how that debate is unfolding in South Africa, through the experience of a man who specializes in medical ethics, and a doctor who practices palliative care--the relief of pain.

We begin with the story of Carol Tuck, a resident of South Africa's eastern coast. She was diagnosed with colon cancer at 37. Now in stage four, she has reached the end of her treatment options. And she's hoping to leave this world on her own terms, with doctor-assisted dying. The practice is illegal, but that could change after November 4th, when an appellate court re-examines the law. Reporter Kim Cloete brings us her story.

Dr. Liz Gwither, CEO of Hospice Palliative Care Association of South Africa
Willem Landman, Executive Director of the Ethics Institute of South Africa


Carol's story was produced by Kim Cloete in South Africa.
This episode of God and Government was produced by Katie Davis, Laura Kwerel, Ruth Morris and Jocelyn Frank.




Carol Tuck. With a terminal diagnosis and time against her, she recently moved
with her partner to a farmhouse in the country.


courtesy of Thubten Chodron
Nuns Now: Crimson Robes and the Pursuit of Compassion October 28, 2016
Venerable Thubten Chodron takes us on her journey from jeans and dangly ear-rings to crimson robes, and even offers a meditative approach to being stuck in traffic. Having studied Tibetan Buddhism in India and Nepal, she went on to found Sravasti Abbey in Washington state, and is the only nun to have co-authored a book with the Dalai Lama. She explains why Tibetan Buddhist nuns shave their heads, forego perfume and tune out pop songs.

Thubten Chodron is a Tibetan Buddhist nun, the founder of Sravasti Abbey, and the author of several books on Buddhist philosophy and meditation.




Venerable Thubten Chodron with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.​