Dr. Kathy Kortes-Miller Wants Us to Talk about the Ultimate Taboo

"A very close friend of mine died when I was in high school," Dr. Kathy Kortes-Miller says.

"I realized then that we didn't know enough about dying, death, loss, and grief."

Today, Dr. Kortes-Miller is a social work professor and researcher focused on palliative and end-of-life care, including Canada's Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) process.

"The legalization of MAiD in 2016 is one of the things that's diminished the stigma around death and dying," she says.

Dr. Kortes-Miller earned a Master of Social Work and a PhD in Educational Studies from Lakehead University. She is also the author of the book Talking About Death Won't Kill You and recently served as director of Lakehead's Centre for Education and Research on Aging & Health (CERAH).

She notes that Canadians have been in support of assisted dying for over 50 years.

"A 1974 Gallup poll found majority support, and by the end of that decade, two-thirds of Canadians were in favour. This consensus has endured through successive governments and decades of political hesitation."

According to an early 2026 poll conducted by the Dying with Dignity Canada organization, 85 per cent of Canadians support the Supreme Court's Carter decision, which struck down the prohibition on assisted dying.

How to Disrupt Death

These polls coincide with key findings Dr. Kortes-Miller has uncovered as the principal investigator of the SSHRC-funded research project: "Disrupting Death: An examination of Canadian experiences with Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD)."

"Research participants repeatedly told us that the decision to access MAiD is often about control and autonomy, that the suffering behind a request for MAiD is rarely only physical, and that knowing that MAiD is available can itself be a comfort."

Dr. Kortes-Miller was a social worker with the St. Joseph's Care Group Hospice Unit in Thunder Bay. "I found that people who are dying need the opportunity to say, 'I love you, I miss you, and I'm sorry,' and to have people say those things to them," she says. "None of them ever said 'I wish I had worked longer.'"

As part of the research project, a podcast and digital stories have been created to provide forums for people to share their MAiD experiences.

Dr. Kortes-Miller's co-investigators—Dr. Arne Stinchcombe from the University of Ottawa, Dr. Kimberley Wilson from the University of Guelph, and Lakehead University researcher Dr. Kerri-Lyn Durant—have been invaluable in carrying out this multifaceted research.

Critical to the research team has been highlighting the diversity of people who access MAiD because they come from all walks of life and circumstances.

They're also talking to informal caregivers, physicians, nurse practitioners, and advocates to provide a more complete picture of Canadians' MAiD experiences.

Dying doesn't occur in a vacuum," Dr. Kortes-Miller says. "Caregivers are experiencing grief, too."

What do we want when we're dying?

Although assisted dying is a complex and highly charged topic, Dr. Kortes-Miller was struck by the repeated themes that kept emerging from her discussions with the study participants.

"People described MAiD as a way to keep some say over when and how they die, at a point when illness has taken control of so much of the rest of their lives. Autonomy and control are crucial," she says.

Dr. Kortes-Miller wants Canadians to know that palliative care and MAiD are available to them as they face the end of their lives. "Family members and friends have told us that even if they don't agree with MAiD, they want their loved ones to have the death they want." (Photo Credit: Centre for Ageing Better)

A second recurring theme was that physical suffering is rarely the only consideration for people requesting MAiD.

"People point to lost independence, the erosion of identity and dignity, no longer being able to do the things that matter to them, having to depend on others, fear of continual decline, and being a burden to the people closest to them."

Lastly, many study participants find comfort in knowing that MAiD is available, but how the process is handled matters. "Delays, unclear information, disjointed coordination, and worry about losing eligibility can deepen distress. That is why open, clear communication and guidance throughout the MAiD process is important," Dr. Kortes-Miller says.

A Powerful Podcast

Canadians have been able to share their voices through the research project's Disrupting Death podcast.

"It provides insight into MAiD and encourages conversations about death," Dr. Kortes-Miller says. "We want people to think about what's important to them at the end of their lives and what matters to their loved ones.

Since its launch in 2023, the podcast has released 44 episodes. Guests range from Senator Pamela Wallin to a mother helping her young children come to terms with the death of their father.

In the fall of 2026, Dr. Kortes-Miller's research team will launch a national survey of health-care providers who support people accessing MAiD—including pharmacists, administrators, and nurse practitioners. "We're investigating attitudes and needs around MAiD care," she says. "We'd also like to hear from conscientious objectors." (Photo Credit: Unsplash/Nappy)

The researchers also hope to dispel misconceptions about MAiD that can be triggered by sensationalized news stories.

Dr. Kortes-Miller points to MAiD's strict eligibility criteria. "Applicants have to demonstrate that their physical suffering can't be solved by medical or other means."

Additionally, there are strong safeguards in place—every medically assisted death is reviewed by a team headed by the chief coroner of Ontario.

"No one, including people who access MAiD, wants to die. But if someone's quality of life deteriorates dramatically and there's no chance of recovery, they often seek a medically assisted death."

Stories of Love and Understanding

Another important component of the Disrupting Death project are 12 digital stories produced by the research team.

Each story features either a person planning to pursue MAiD or a friend or family member who supported someone throughout the MAiD process.

"The digital stories are representative of people's experiences with MAiD and offer ways to understand and think about death," Dr. Kortes-Miller says.

One of these storytellers is Diane Sims—a journalist, accessibility advocate, and Member of the Order of Canada—who used MAiD in May 2026.

"She reached out to us because she was dealing with multiple sclerosis, and she wanted MAiD
if her pain became too unbearable," Dr. Kortes-Miller says.

Diane's story highlights that for most people the best way to talk about death is to keep talking.

"Every time I watch a Disrupting Death digital story, I see something different," Dr. Kortes-Miller says. "We Didn't Waver" created by Kimberly Robinson is just one example. Kimberly reveals how health-care providers can have a positive or negative impact on people at the end of their lives and their family members.

"It's not a one-and-done conversation—our needs and views change throughout our lives," Dr. Kortes-Miller says. "Our study participants frequently tell us that they want their end-of-life plans known in advance to give their loved ones peace of mind.

These conversations must occur at the social policy and health-care service levels, too."

By adopting this approach, more Canadians are likely to have 'good deaths' instead of deaths where caregivers and health-care professionals are scrambling to make decisions while medical crises are happening.

"My goal is to give people true choice and control at the end of their lives and to improve our health-care system to better support them," Dr. Kortes-Miller says.

Lakehead gratefully acknowledges the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) for providing the five-year Insight Research Grant to make "Disrupting Death: An examination of Canadian experiences with medical assistance in dying (MAiD)," possible.