title: Theresa Marie Schiavo's long road to peace.
abstract: The death of Theresa Marie Schiavo came about only after almost 7 years of argument among her family members. Her husband, Michael Schiavo, was convinced that she would have refused the medically supplied nutrition and hydration maintaining her life. Her parents, Robert and Mary Schindler, and her siblings were equally convinced that her condition was not so hopeless that she would have chosen to refuse treatment. The result was a bitter battle reaching through state and federal court systems, legislatures, and chief executives' offices. This article provides introductory factual background for the articles that discuss the Schiavo case in this special issue of Death Studies.
authors.affiliation: Shepard Broad Law Center, Nova Southeastern University, 3305 College Avenue, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA. cerminarak@nsu.law.nova.edu
authors.forename: Kathy L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Cerminara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016223:Advance Directives / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000941:ethics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007872:Legal Guardians; D010290:Parents; D018458:Persistent Vegetative State; D012297:Right to Die / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D018454:Spouses; D035521:Supreme Court Decisions; D014481:United States