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The question of whether terminally ill people should have the right to end their lives is dividing MPs as they consider a proposed law to legalise assisted dying. If passed, the landmark bill would offer this choice to those who are expected to die within six months – provided their decision is approved by doctors.
Nik Ward, who suffers from MND, worries legalising assisted dying could lead to people feeling pressure to end their lives. He says he probably would have chosen assisted dying three years ago if it had been legal.
Elise Burns lives in constant pain due to terminal breast cancer and wants the choice to end her life before it gets worse. She says she is not scared to die but is scared of a bad death – a long, drawn-out, brutal, horrific death. That terrifies her.
Elise disagrees that the bill would coerce people into prematurely ending their lives, as this option would only be available to those with six months to live. As a safeguard, the person’s request to die would need to be approved by two doctors and a judge.
Elise says she will likely be dead before the bill becomes law, if it passes, but hopes it could help others. She believes it is likely that, if the bill is approved, it will come too late to help her. Instead, she plans to use the assisted dying service offered by the Swiss firm Dignitas.
She says their process requires a lot of paperwork beforehand and will cost her between £12,000-£15,000. She says she is fortunate enough to be able to afford the sum but that the high prices involved are another reason why the law should be changed – so that assisted dying is possible for every terminally ill person who chooses it, not just those who can afford it.
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