After a tear filled goodbye, I watched as she walked towards the station, turning around to wave goodbye and blow us kisses.
Friend, that was the last time I saw my mum. She was on her way to Dignitas in Switzerland to end her suffering, on her own.
At just 67 years old, she was terminally ill with vasculitis, a cruel disease that caused kidney failure and attacked her organs. She’d been a nurse for 40 years, so she knew that without a compassionate assisted dying law in this country, she faced terrible suffering.
Friend, my mum should have died peacefully in her own home, surrounded by family – but our law robbed this from us. And right now, more families are going through the same horrifying experience. I’d do anything to help change that, so I’m asking you today:
Will you help me raise more money for Dignity in Dying so they can campaign hard to change the law?
The law in this country meant that I couldn’t accompany Mum on her last journey. She spent her life savings, and in agonising pain, travelled alone to protect her family from the risk of prosecution.
Not being able to hold Mum’s hand during her last moments is something I will regret for the rest of my life.
But the bravery it took her to walk further than she'd been able to in months, get to the airport and endure a flight alone, is testament to how much she wanted to die on her own terms, with dignity.
In celebration of my Mum's life and her infinite courage, I’m taking on some long-distance challenges to raise money for Dignity in Dying, to fund their relentless campaigning to get our politicians to finally change the law.
Over 200 amazing people have already chipped in to my crowdfunder, and we’re double my original target of £2,000 in just two months – it just shows how many people want a compassionate assisted dying law.
If each of us chips in a few pounds, we can get to £10,000 and power Dignity in Dying’s vital fight to give terminally ill people choice and control. Are you in?
When my Mum was almost out of sight, she waved for a final time and turned with an exaggerated skip down the road, fist to the sky. This determination fuels my fight for change, and I hope it fuels yours too.
James Johnson
