Nancy Cruzan
Nancy Cruzan was involved in the landmark 'right to die' case that reached the US Supreme Court.
Research Subject
July 20, 1957
Cancer
January 11, 1983
25
Carterville, Missouri
Nancy Cruzan became a significant figure in the right-to-die movement in the United States after a car accident left her in a persistent vegetative state. Her family’s legal battle to remove her feeding tube gained national attention and ultimately reached the Supreme Court. The landmark case, Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health, played a crucial role in establishing a patient’s right to refuse medical treatment. Nancy Cruzan’s case was the first right-to-die case heard by the US Supreme Court, and her legacy includes various court cases and advocacy initiatives related to right-to-die issues.