Guangzhou, Mar. 18 -- An 28-year-old girl named Li Yan, who has suffered from progressive muscular dystrophy for 27 years, drew wide attention recently in China for her request for legislation approving euthanasia.

 

Information Times reported that the dean of the tumor hospital at Sun Yat-sen University, Dr. Zeng Yixin, said two or three patients each year ask for euthanasia assistance at his hospital.

 

Euthanasia is a controversial issue and its legalization faces difficulties across the world.

 

Zeng told Information Times that since euthanasia is illegal in China, doctors can only give positive therapy to incurable patients, reduce their pain as much as possible and help them overcome their fear of death.

 

In order to help patients be more positive, the tumor hospital of Sun Yat-sen University will establish the first psychology clinic this year for tumor patients to deal with their psychological problems.

 

Qin Huiying from the nursing department of the Tumor Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University said tumors have a close relationship with the patients' psychology. "Psychotherapy should be adapted to tumor patients, which helps them to be more positive," Qin said.

 

In addition, the first-ever medical building to be used as a hospice and for palliative care will be established in Guangzhou.

 

An official from the Guangzhou Nursing Home told Information Times that hospices and palliative care centers are new medical venues that probe into whether medical care can possibly reduce the physical and mental pains of patients who are approaching death.

 

Palliative care targets patients who suffer from diseases and are over 60 with no kids and family, persistent vegetative state patients and terminal cancer patients.

 

Built at the Guangzhou Nursing Home, the five-floor building for the hospice and palliative care center with 200 beds will be put into use next January.