PM: Blindly prolonging life is not the solution
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Blindly prolonging life is not the solution: PM
Derrick A Paulo
[email protected]
His health minister broke the silence last year, and now Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is taking the dialogue forward.
.
In a speech to medical professionals from Singapore and abroad, Mr Lee identified end-of-life care and how people are medically treated in their final stages as key factors in determining how well the health system works.
.
In this regard, Singapore will avoid taking the same route as some other countries, such as the United States, in the management of issues of death.
.
"The practice of medicine has its limits. It takes wisdom to know these limits and the true needs of the dying. Heedless pursuit of 'pure' medicine to prolong life, without regard to cost or the wishes of the patients, cannot be sustained in the long term, not even in the wealthiest countries," he said.
.
"This is a serious problem plaguing the US healthcare system today. Alas, fixing it is politically difficult. We must not get into such a situation."
.
While different countries have taken different approaches to healthcare, "their experience shows that more resources do not necessarily improve healthcare outcomes", said Mr Lee, who received an honorary fellowship from the Academy of Medicine last night.
.
Hence, he said, in Singapore, "while we will invest more in healthcare, it is more important to get the economics of healthcare right". "The reality is that demand for healthcare is unlimited and has to be rationed," he said.
.
"Problems are compounded as populations age and vast amounts of high-tech resources are marshalled to manage the last few weeks of the terminally ill, delivering poor quality of life to the patients at very high cost to society," he added.
.
Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan first talked about the need for a national conversation on the dying process last October.
.
Then, he said he would look into the legislation governing the Advance Medical Directive, which allows adults to refuse extraordinary life-sustaining treatment for a terminal illness, as part of his ministry's five-year plan.
.
Other healthcare priorities include the management of chronic diseases, which Mr Lee also mentioned last night as part of the "new and creative approa-ches" Singapore should explore to improve its market-based system of pricing and co-payment.
.
Maximising the benefits of IT is one such approach. For example, the National Healthcare Group has introduced tele- radiology at its polyclinics, where X-ray images are sent to Bangalore to be read.
.
This has reduced prices and cut turnaround times "dramatically from two to three days previously to an hour or less", said Mr Lee, who stressed: "We must press on with such initiatives."
.
He identified tele-pathology, which allows doctors who study disease processes and their causes to use telecommunications to transmit data and images, as one possibility.
.
The challenge is in training and recruiting people for the healthcare system. The Health Ministry projects that Singapore will need over 2,000 more doctors by 2015. Currently, Singapore produces about 230 doctors each year. In 2012, this number will be 300. But it will not be enough.
.
"Given our small local talent pool and competing needs from other sectors in the economy, there are limits to how far we can expand the local supply," said Mr Lee.
.
"Increasingly, we will have to recruit medical talent from abroad. We must be open minded in accepting such imported talent, while maintaining medical standards and helping foreign trained doctors to adapt to conditions in Singapore."
Blindly prolonging life is not the solution: PM
Derrick A Paulo
[email protected]
His health minister broke the silence last year, and now Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is taking the dialogue forward.
.
In a speech to medical professionals from Singapore and abroad, Mr Lee identified end-of-life care and how people are medically treated in their final stages as key factors in determining how well the health system works.
.
In this regard, Singapore will avoid taking the same route as some other countries, such as the United States, in the management of issues of death.
.
"The practice of medicine has its limits. It takes wisdom to know these limits and the true needs of the dying. Heedless pursuit of 'pure' medicine to prolong life, without regard to cost or the wishes of the patients, cannot be sustained in the long term, not even in the wealthiest countries," he said.
.
"This is a serious problem plaguing the US healthcare system today. Alas, fixing it is politically difficult. We must not get into such a situation."
.
While different countries have taken different approaches to healthcare, "their experience shows that more resources do not necessarily improve healthcare outcomes", said Mr Lee, who received an honorary fellowship from the Academy of Medicine last night.
.
Hence, he said, in Singapore, "while we will invest more in healthcare, it is more important to get the economics of healthcare right". "The reality is that demand for healthcare is unlimited and has to be rationed," he said.
.
"Problems are compounded as populations age and vast amounts of high-tech resources are marshalled to manage the last few weeks of the terminally ill, delivering poor quality of life to the patients at very high cost to society," he added.
----- from TODAY, 20/7/07 -----
Talk from a former cancer patient, LHL! $$$$ matters, where is compassion? What do Academy of Medicine base on to award him honorary fellowship? -
Our PM is HNI (High-net worth Individual) mah.
Got any illness must treat.
Those ah gong ah ma, old liao, no contribution liao, and hence shall not have any medical resources wasted on them.
Basically, I think that sums up his point. -
He forgets he is formally a cancer patient. He better makes sure he will not be terminally ill in future so that the hospitals will not waste the $$$ and resources on him.Originally posted by CoolMyth:Our PM is HNI (High-net worth Individual) mah. Got any illness must treat.
Those ah gong ah ma, old liao, no contribution liao, and hence shall not have any medical resources wasted on them.
Basically, I think that sums up his point. -
Sounds like he is paving the path for euthanasia.Originally posted by qlqq9:Blindly prolonging life is not the solution: PM
Derrick A Paulo
[email protected]
His health minister broke the silence last year, and now Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is taking the dialogue forward.
.
In a speech to medical professionals from Singapore and abroad, Mr Lee identified end-of-life care and how people are medically treated in their final stages as key factors in determining how well the health system works.
.
In this regard, Singapore will avoid taking the same route as some other countries, such as the United States, in the management of issues of death.
.
"The practice of medicine has its limits. It takes wisdom to know these limits and the true needs of the dying. Heedless pursuit of 'pure' medicine to prolong life, without regard to cost or the wishes of the patients, cannot be sustained in the long term, not even in the wealthiest countries," he said.
.
"This is a serious problem plaguing the US healthcare system today. Alas, fixing it is politically difficult. We must not get into such a situation."
.
While different countries have taken different approaches to healthcare, "their experience shows that more resources do not necessarily improve healthcare outcomes", said Mr Lee, who received an honorary fellowship from the Academy of Medicine last night.
.
Hence, he said, in Singapore, "while we will invest more in healthcare, it is more important to get the economics of healthcare right". "The reality is that demand for healthcare is unlimited and has to be rationed," he said.
.
"Problems are compounded as populations age and vast amounts of high-tech resources are marshalled to manage the last few weeks of the terminally ill, delivering poor quality of life to the patients at very high cost to society," he added.
.
Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan first talked about the need for a national conversation on the dying process last October.
.
Then, he said he would look into the legislation governing the Advance Medical Directive, which allows adults to refuse extraordinary life-sustaining treatment for a terminal illness, as part of his ministry's five-year plan.
.
Other healthcare priorities include the management of chronic diseases, which Mr Lee also mentioned last night as part of the "new and creative approa-ches" Singapore should explore to improve its market-based system of pricing and co-payment.
.
Maximising the benefits of IT is one such approach. For example, the National Healthcare Group has introduced tele- radiology at its polyclinics, where X-ray images are sent to Bangalore to be read.
.
This has reduced prices and cut turnaround times "dramatically from two to three days previously to an hour or less", said Mr Lee, who stressed: "We must press on with such initiatives."
.
He identified tele-pathology, which allows doctors who study disease processes and their causes to use telecommunications to transmit data and images, as one possibility.
.
The challenge is in training and recruiting people for the healthcare system. The Health Ministry projects that Singapore will need over 2,000 more doctors by 2015. Currently, Singapore produces about 230 doctors each year. In 2012, this number will be 300. But it will not be enough.
.
"Given our small local talent pool and competing needs from other sectors in the economy, there are limits to how far we can expand the local supply," said Mr Lee.
.
"Increasingly, we will have to recruit medical talent from abroad. We must be open minded in accepting such imported talent, while maintaining medical standards and helping foreign trained doctors to adapt to conditions in Singapore."
Blindly prolonging life is not the solution: PM
Derrick A Paulo
[email protected]
His health minister broke the silence last year, and now Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is taking the dialogue forward.
.
In a speech to medical professionals from Singapore and abroad, Mr Lee identified end-of-life care and how people are medically treated in their final stages as key factors in determining how well the health system works.
.
In this regard, Singapore will avoid taking the same route as some other countries, such as the United States, in the management of issues of death.
.
"The practice of medicine has its limits. It takes wisdom to know these limits and the true needs of the dying. Heedless pursuit of 'pure' medicine to prolong life, without regard to cost or the wishes of the patients, cannot be sustained in the long term, not even in the wealthiest countries," he said.
.
"This is a serious problem plaguing the US healthcare system today. Alas, fixing it is politically difficult. We must not get into such a situation."
.
While different countries have taken different approaches to healthcare, "their experience shows that more resources do not necessarily improve healthcare outcomes", said Mr Lee, who received an honorary fellowship from the Academy of Medicine last night.
.
Hence, he said, in Singapore, "while we will invest more in healthcare, it is more important to get the economics of healthcare right". "The reality is that demand for healthcare is unlimited and has to be rationed," he said.
.
"Problems are compounded as populations age and vast amounts of high-tech resources are marshalled to manage the last few weeks of the terminally ill, delivering poor quality of life to the patients at very high cost to society," he added.
----- from TODAY, 20/7/07 -----
Talk from a former cancer patient, LHL! $$$$ matters, where is compassion? What do Academy of Medicine base on to award him honorary fellowship? -
Talk from a former cancer patient, LHL! $$$$ matters, where is compassion? What do Academy of Medicine base on to award him honorary fellowship?
Different people, different views. Plus, he suffered once, he probably doesn't want it to be repeated. In his view... they should just go... most likely, if serious illnesses strike them.
Other illnesses... you judge for yourself. -
"Problems are compounded as populations age and vast amounts of high-tech resources are marshalled to manage the last few weeks of the terminally ill, delivering poor quality of life to the patients at very high cost to society," he added.
Woo hoo, Singapore Inc. Dollars and Sense are all that matters. -
Talk from a former cancer patient, LHL! $$$$ matters, where is compassion? What do Academy of Medicine base on to award him honorary fellowship?
On the basis that the chair of the academy is probably a member of his party... -
Originally posted by Rock^Star:"Problems are compounded as populations age and vast amounts of high-tech resources are marshalled to manage the last few weeks of the terminally ill, delivering poor quality of life to the patients at very high cost to society," he added.
Woo hoo, Singapore Inc. Dollars and Sense are all that matters.
May be he is speaking in his capacity as a Finance Minister? Notice he engages in money talks most of the time if not at all times.Originally posted by AndrewPKYap:On the basis that the chair of the academy is probably a member of his party...
Oh yes, now that you mentioned about that chairman of academy of medicine, ya, i know his existence - not a good person. I have unpleasant encounters with him. He is another heavy weight in the medical field. Involved in matters related to gahmen. so . . . . .. !?! -
http://www.dignityindying.org.uk/
Dignity in Dying's mission:
Patient choice at the end of life
A dignified death for all
Dignity in Dying is the leading campaigning organisation promoting patient choice at the end of life. We are also a major information source on end-of-life issues. Dignity in Dying is independent of any political, religious or other organisation. We are supported entirely by voluntary contributions from members of the public.
Palliative Care
Dignity in Dying strongly supports good palliative care. We are aware that palliative care does not work for everyone, so we also campaign for patient choice in palliative care. It is clear from evidence that where the law has been changed to allow assisted dying, end-of-life care has improved. This also highlights how our work to bring end-of-life issues to the forefront of debate impacts on improving end-of-life care. -
If he is, he's doing, as usual, a bad job of putting forward his points.Originally posted by wisefool83:Sounds like he is paving the path for euthanasia.
Who the heck is his speech writer anyway? Or does he even have any? -
'Angela' (Cheshire)
Dad and I were very close. He had cancer and the doctors said there was nothing they could do. As his condition deteriorated he asked me to "help" him. I brushed it off, but I told the nurse who cared for Dad at home.
I thought that someone would intervene and help him. I couldn't believe that the medical professions were so inhumane that they would just stand by. I hadn't realized that the law in this country was so unbendable.
The night before he died I was up all night with him. Dad was still taking his morphine orally and I thought about overdosing him with the tablets, but he couldn't swallow them. I rang for the doctor and asked him to help. He said there was nothing he could do, but he authorized a morphine syringe driver. The nurse connected it up to a needle in my dad's chest and placed my hand over the button. Dad was conscious and able to tell Mum that he loved her. I delivered a 24-hour dose of morphine in five minutes.
People say to me that I did what my Dad wanted and it was a brave thing but at the end of the day it was an awful responsibility - I killed my father.
Properly controlled assisted deaths would not be so traumatic. Instead, a terminally ill patient could administer appropriate prescribed drugs which would allow them to die peacefully, and with dignity, at a time of their choosing.
Many "mercy killers" experience guilt, which can lead to self-mutilation, depression, drug dependency and even suicide. I turned to alcohol for a time. It is only recently, with counselling, that I have come to terms with all of this and finally grieve properly for my dear Father. -
Danny Bond (Southampton)
By Danny's parents, Mike and Beverley
“Our son Danny died a drawn-out, painful death from an incurable bowel disease. By the time he was 21 he had gone through over 300 operations. We pursued every possible hope until the top international specialists eventually conceded there was nothing more they could do.
"The best drugs often couldn’t alleviate his pain and so he spent the last year of his life asking the doctors for medical help to die. The doctors would not help him die and instead Danny practically had to starve himself to death. What he went through at the end of his life is a disgrace. After all Danny had to go through he should have at least had the choice of dying well.”
These are the words of DannyÂ’s parents, Mike and Beverley Dodds. Beverley is a nurse and Mike is a police officer. -
Debbie Purdy - (Bradford)
My story
I live in Bradford with my husband Omar.
About ten years ago I was diagnosed with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis. It reminded me that is that it's the quality of life that counts, not the quantity. Before I was diagnosed I jumped out of airplanes, went scuba diving and skiing. Now I have MS I can still do many of these things and I enjoy my life and the people around me.
What worries me the most about my disease is that it is degenerative. It is incurable. It will keep on getting worse and it will not stop. I have to live with the uncertainty of what this may mean. It may mean I lose control of my arms, to my ability to speak, swallow or breathe.
That uncertainty is why we need to change the law so that there is a choice. I don't want to be forced to make a decision about the end of my life before I am ready to stop enjoying it. I want to wait until the last minute to decide if I can bear the facing pain and indignity I am facing.
I live my life with dignity and I want to make sure I have dignity in dying as well. -
Diane Pretty (Luton)
My story
Diane Pretty desperately wanted a doctor to help her to die. Motor neurone disease left her mind as sharp as ever, but it gradually destroyed her muscles, making it hard for her to communicate with her family. It left her in a wheelchair, catheterised and fed through a tube. Diane fought against the disease for the last 2 years of her life and had every possible medical treatment.
She was fully aware of what the future held and decided to refuse artificial ventilation. Rather than the fear of dying by choking or suffocation, she wanted a doctor to help her die when she was no longer able to communicate with her family and friends. She discussed this with her husband of 25 years, Brian, who had to come to terms with what she wanted and to respect her decision. Brian says that losing her was devastating for him and their two children but he would have been pleased if Diane could have had the good death she so desperately wanted, a quick death without suffering, at home surrounded by her family so that she could say good-bye to them.
If she had been physically able Diane said she would have taken her own life. That's not illegal. But because of the terrible nature of her illness she could not do this - to carry out her wishes she would have needed assistance. Diane died in a hospice in May 2002, having fought in the High Court and the European Court of Human Rights. Her widower, Brian, has never stopped campaigning for justice for Diane. Nobody has done more to promote the need for reform of our law. -
Dr Anne Turner (Bath)
Dr Anne Turner explains in her own words why she went abroad for assistance to die.
The reason I want an assisted suicide is because, at the end of November 2004, I was diagnosed with PSP (Progressive Supranuclear Palsy), a neurological degenerative disease for which there is no treatment or cure. Dr Thomas Stuttaford, writing in The Times in April 2002 said:
"It is said that old doctors in their prayers don't thank God for their continuing survival, but rather recite a litany of the diseases they wish to be spared. Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) would be near the top of every praying doctor's list."
I am nearly 67, and a retired medical doctor. My husband, also a medical doctor, died in September 2002 aged 72 of MSA (Multiple Systems Atrophy). In January 2002 his brother (younger by only a few years and not living anywhere near here) died of Motor Neurone Disease. Apparently PSP is somewhat akin to MSA. Dudley Moore, a well-known entertainer, died of it in 2002 and at the end of his life was unable to walk, talk, swallow, or even blink. I do not want to end up like that. That is the main reason for my wanting to commit suicide. Now I am finding walking, speaking and swallowing increasingly difficult and have had a series of nasty falls. I broke my wrist twice and thumb once earlier last year and seemed to spend the early half of the year in plaster and waiting for hours in Out-patients'. These fractures were the result of falls.
I started having falls in January 2003, which I put down to carelessness and I was unaware of my slurred speech. I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a mastectomy in February 2004. I was then investigated for the falls and slurred speech as I had had a dreadful fall before the mastectomy and was very bruised. An MRI scan did not show very much but a diagnosis of "mini-strokes" was made in May 2004. It was only because I reported deterioration in my speech in summer 2004 that I was referred to a neurologist who made the diagnosis of PSP. Because the diagnosis is so devastating I sought a second opinion, which confirmed the diagnosis.
I have discussed the question of suicide with my three children and my sister and one or two friends whom I had to tell. In fact I tried to commit suicide on 9 October 2005 and was very nearly successful. The net result was that I spent most of the next day asleep in the company of my above-mentioned family and it was after that that I contacted Dignitas to start the process of applying for assisted suicide.
I have been seen by one psychiatrist three times (and she also saw my children) and by another one once and they left no questions about my soundness of mind. Nor did they think I was depressed and I do not think I am. I know that I cry a lot but I also laugh inappropriately. I think it is all part of the emotional lability, which is a feature of PSP.
Applying for assisted suicide with Dignitas is a lengthy process but eventually I was able to fix a date which is 24 January 2006 a day before my 67th birthday. My three children all support my decision, especially as we have all seen the effect of a very similar illness in my husband: his terrible suffering, loss of dignity and his long slow demise.
I feel strongly that assisted suicide should become legal in this country. In order to ensure that I am able to swallow the medication that will kill me, I have to go to Switzerland before I am totally incapacitated and unable to travel. If I knew that when things got so bad, I would be able to request assisted suicide in Britain then I would not have to die before I am completely ready to do so.
I know that I am more fortunate than many other people in my situation, in that I have the knowledge and the finances and the support of my family to make assisted suicide in Switzerland possible.
To die with dignity should be everybody's right. -
Dr Roy Green (Birmingham)
Death is a subject which most people avoid thinking about, but for a disabled person it is something which is frequently forced upon them, as there is always the feeling that many doctors believe you should not have been allowed to live.
Severely disabled from the age of two (totally blind and largely paralysed) I was a prime recipient of this doctrine, and consequently it has concerned me most of my life.
Assisting people out of life is illegal, but some hospital doctors believe it is for them to choose. Doctors are also legally allowed to remove drugs and feeding from someone who is in a permanent vegetative state.
But it is not for doctors to decide who lives and who dies! And this is especially true in the case of disability. I wish to put the decision concerning one's time of dying firmly in the hands of the patient.
I wish to choose for myself when it is time to die, and I also would like that choice for others. I do not wish to choose for them, and believe that it is not anyone else's business to choose for me. -
Edward Turner and Sophia Pandit (London)
At 12.35 today,Tuesday 24 January 2006, our mother, Anne Turner, died peacefully in Zurich, one day before her 67th birthday. She had opted for an assisted suicide with the support of the Swiss charity Dignitas.
At 12.05 our mother drank a barbituate prescription. We said our goodbyes and held her hands as she started to slip into a deep sleep. Within 25 minutes she stopped breathing.
Our mother was a wonderful, loving, spirited and courageous woman who chose to die before her illness put her in a position of being unable to make this choice. We have fully respected her wishes, even though her decision has caused us great sadness. Our only consolation is knowing that our mother chose death willingly, has died peacefully and with dignity, and that her suffering is at an end.
This experience has challenged us all as a family. We loved our mother dearly and will miss her terribly.
Sophia Pandit
Edward Turner
Jessica Wharton -
Gloria Thomson (Scotland)
I am in the early stages of Huntington's disease. I watched my Dad dying from this terrible disease and then I watched my sister as she struggled with the onset of the disease - she has been in care for 10 years now.
My other sister died from cancer and as I was with her in her last few days. It was terrible that no-one could help her - she just had to lie there in pain waiting to die.
All this has led to my belief that I should make decisions for myself, while I can. I just hope that when the time comes the laws will have been changed to allow me to receive medical assistance to die at a time of my choosing if that is what I want. -
Graham Lawson (Kent)
Graham tells how his sister Sue committed suicide and what happened to him after
In December 2003 I was arrested for assisting the suicide of my older sister, Sue, who suffered from multiple sclerosis.
Sue worked as a bank manager until her muscles started wasting away to the point where she couldnÂ’t walk. All of our family helped look after her, and we had a lot of support from the medical team and carers. SueÂ’s health went badly downhill in December 2002. She lost mobility and was in terrible pain. Because she was suffering so much, she decided she would end her life while she was still able so that she did not incriminate anyone else. She did not want anyone else to suffer because of her decision.
She told everyone, including her doctor and our mum and dad, that she was going to kill herself. She even wrote her Christmas cards early so we would have them on the day. Sue tried to end her life, but she was unsuccessful. Then she asked if I would be there for her when she died. She had already been through so much, I did not want her to be alone in her final hour.
She ended her life by taking some tablets and putting a plastic bag over her head. I sat with her and held her hand. It took Sue 26 hours to end her life. It was a harrowing experience.
After Sue had died, I called the doctor. The doctor got in touch with the coroner and I was arrested on suspicion of assisting in her suicide. I was stripped and searched, and it was the police who told my parents that Sue had died, not me. I spent 24 hours in the police station with all sorts of terrible things going through my mind. I knew I hadnÂ’t done anything wrong but I was scared.
This experience had a terrible effect on my dad and my mum, who became ill because of the stress of the investigation. It took 5 months to hold SueÂ’s funeral because the police wouldnÂ’t release her body until they decided whether to prosecute me.
I donÂ’t regret being there for Sue. I do wish that she could have had a more dignified death. I wish a doctor could have helped her end her life quickly and without fear. When you are suffering as much as she did, the one thing you should have some control over is the way you die. The law put all of my family through appalling suffering. Please help change the law so that others do not have to suffer like Sue and my mum and dad. -
I have a feeling our dear PM is going to force doctors to make a decision when the patient is deemed too ill to treat and ignore the concerns of the immediate family members.
This sounds more like forced euthanasia rather than euthanasia with choice.
It makes no sense for the PM to "advise" them to not prolong their life unless he is intending to resort to some measure to force them to comply.
Has he decided when to declare when one should die and one not?
And Crazy Monkey, those euthanasia cases in countries where it is authorised are decided upon by either patient or the immediate family, and if I am not wrong, the patient must consent to it. -
Jane Macdonald (London)
I have Multiple Sclerosis. This incurable disease brings problems in the form of muscle spasms, incontinence, lack of mobility and loss of motor control. Symptomatic treatment is at best only partly palliative.
For now, the quality of my life is reasonable but I also have cancer which is contained within my bones at present. My doctors tell me that there is a good chance that it will come back. Despite medication, I suffered a great deal of pain during the period the cancer was more active. I fully understand why some people at the very end stages of terminal cancer want help to die.
As a former nurse I am aware that despite the best medical care and the finest hospices there is a chance of dying in pain and certainly in distress, with a loss of my personal dignity. I would like the opportunity to choose the time and place of my death if life becomes unbearable. To do this I would need the help of a doctor who would be open to prosecution by offering help. The law needs to be changed so that this simple humanitarian assistance can be offered to those who wish for it, this should be within the law, provided that appropriate safeguards are in place. -
Heather Pratten (Essex)
Heather tells how she helped her son to die
My son Nigel had the hereditary degenerative neurological disorder, Huntington's Disease.
We'd both watched my husband die from the illness and knew the distress and agony it could cause. Nigel knew what was going on and that he did not want to be around to suffer anymore. On his 42nd birthday he told me the best present I could give him would be to end his life. He didn't want to die alone. I tried to persuade him against it but I would not let him die alone and promised him I would not let him fail. Looking back I still believe that it was his right to choose.
Other people have tried to end their lives and failed and then been left in an even worse situation than they were previously in. I was put on bail for murder for being with Nigel and putting a pillow over his face when he lost consciousness from the overdose. In the end I was charged with aiding and abetting a suicide and received a conditional discharge for 1 year.
I wish that Nigel could have asked a doctor to help him to die legally and peacefully. -
Jill Anderson (Exeter)
Jill's extraordinary story
Jill was put on trial for manslaughter in 2005 after he husband Paul, committed suicide by taking an overdose of morphine tablets.
Jill came home after shopping for food to find that Paul had taken the overdose and left a suicide note asking her not to call an ambulance. He signed it affectionately, "Your bear, Paul." Paul had twice previously attempted to commit suicide and on both occasions Jill had called for help. She made up her mind that this time she would allow Paul to end his life in accordance with his wishes and spare him the pain he was suffering through his illness. She lay beside him as Paul died.
The police arrested Jill and took nearly two years to bring the case to court. This nightmare of uncertainty culminated in a prosecution conducted by one of the countryÂ’s top QCs, David Perry, who also acted against Diane Pretty. This time, Perry lost. The jury took no time at all to throw out the manslaughter charge against Jill.
She is now picking up the pieces of her life in Exeter without the man she loved. -
John Close (Milton Keynes)
Lesley Close explains how John had help to die in Switzerland
In 2001 my brother John Close, aged 53, was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND). His decline was slow but, by Christmas 2002, he needed full-time care: he could not stand or swallow, and communicated through a computer because his speech was unintelligible.
John saw a news item about Reg Crew's trip to Dignitas in January 2003 and 'said' "that's how I'd like to go when my time comes."
I immediately understood why John wanted an assisted suicide - it allowed him to choose a death which was guaranteed to be peaceful and dignified. Opponents of assisted dying have suggested that I should have stopped him - what would John have gained from my selfish insistence that he continue suffering until MND ended his life 'naturally'?
Knowing that John would be in control of his death was a tremendous source of comfort for me as well as for John. Indeed at a stage when MND had almost totally eroded his dignity, knowing he would have that control gave some dignity back to him. John's death was sad but my grief at losing him was tempered by the control he had over the way he died. Having said our goodbyes, I held his hand as the barbiturate overdose took effect: he fell into a deep sleep which was followed by unconsciousness and, after 20 minutes, death.
If legislation such as Lord Joffe's had existed in 2003, John might have lived for a few weeks longer: he needed some bodily strength to undertake the journey to Zurich. I wish he had been able to die the same peaceful and dignified death at home in Milton Keynes, as the sun set, and with his own GP writing the prescription. That GP, Eric Rose, spoke to the BMA a few weeks after John's death and said that knowing John had changed his opinion about assisted dying. That is John's legacy: it is proof that a personal experience, such as knowing John, can turn opposition based on theory alone into whole-hearted support. -
Kelly Taylor (Bristol)
I am a 30-year-old woman. I live in Bristol with my husband Richard and I am suffering from a life-threatening heart and lung problem called Eisenmenger's syndrome. My health has been getting steadily worse since I was seven years old. I was taken off the transplant list years ago - my body is far too weak to survive such a complex operation. I need oxygen all the time and I am severely physically limited, almost totally confined to a wheelchair. My health is getting worse and worse, and my consultant has told me I do not have long to live.
I love my husband and my family very much and I am still trying to do as much as possible - I am studying part-time at college for an English literature A level. But my health just keeps deteriorating. I have to sleep for about 18 hours a day but I have terrible nightmares as a side effect of my medication. I have bed sores and suffer from breathlessness. I am in constant pain and I feel I am denied almost every pleasure by my illness. I want my suffering to end.
The law forbids assisted dying, so in August 2005 I made the decision to starve myself to death - it was the only way to die without getting Richard into trouble with the law. I had to give this up after nineteen days because it was simply too painful. Ever since then I have been working to try to change the law on assisted dying - I strongly support any law that enables doctors to help patients to die if they request this.
I contacted the Bristol Post eight days into my starvation because I wanted to raise awareness of the kind of the terrible position the law forces people like me into. I was having to starve myself because my doctors could not help me die.
I did not want to travel to a foreign country to end my life. I want to die at home. If I went abroad to die I would do so knowing that my wonderful husband Richard, who would go with me, could face prosecution on his return to the UK, and I could not allow that to happen. I admire the people who make such a journey, but really, it should not be necessary.
I truly believe that the law on assisted dying will change but not in time for me. My personal campaign is to fight for assisted dying while I live but I may have a limited choice, and may have to ask to be sedated permanently. My doctors are not sure if they can legally do this, so I am mounting a legal case to allow a doctor to do this for me. I am hoping that once I am sedated the terms of my living will will come into effect. This states that I would not wish to receive afrtificial food or fluids, and would mean that I could die peacefully.