Man who considered assisted death after bedsore tells coroner's inquiry 'you have to fight' for care

Among the dozens of people who testified at a coroner's inquiry into the death of Normand Meunier, Claude Labelle may be the only one who really understands what he went through. 

Meunier, a 66-year-old quadriplegic Quebec man, requested medical assistance in dying after developing a severe bedsore during a four-day stay in the ER at Saint-Jérôme Hospital last year.

The inquiry has heard over the last several weeks about the unbearable pain he suffered, and how the system failed him before he died in March 2024.

"In my opinion, it was the right thing to do," Labelle said of Meunier's decision in an interview with CBC News after his testimony Tuesday.

"It was very, very, very hard for him — a big, severe wound." 

Like Meunier, Labelle is quadriplegic, uses a wheelchair and is prone to severe bedsores on his buttocks.

"As soon as you have pressure or redness, it's the beginning of a possible sore, so what you have to do is relieve the pressure on that red spot," Labelle said. "I have to be on my side — one side or the other, never on my back."

That can mean days or even weeks of being bedridden in uncomfortable positions while waiting for a sore to heal.

The key to preventing such sores is to change positions every two hours, and to use a special pressure mattress for sleeping or resting.

Meunier was unable to get access to such a mattress during his stay in the ER, the inquiry has heard. 

Like Meunier, Labelle is frequently in hospital, and he's also had difficulty accessing those mattresses. He said each time, he has to re-explain to hospital staff the care he needs to prevent bedsores.

Labelle said when he does that, he's often dismissed by hospital staff.

"You have to fight to get care. That's nonsense," Labelle said.

Labelle told the inquiry how he hit his own breaking point during his most recent hospital stay in January, when he developed a sore and his discharge was delayed several times.