Good afternoon
This morning I interviewed Emeritus Medical Director for Public Health England, Professor Paul Cosford for the Today Programme on BBC Radio 4. The focus of our conversation was the urgent need for a change in the law on assisted dying.
Since his diagnosis of lung cancer in 2017, Professor Cosford, who had been uncertain about assisted dying, struggled with the limited options he knew he would face at the end of his illness. Over the last year, he has spoken out on the impact of the current law on him personally and his desire for choice.
We agreed that it’s time MPs faced up to reality on the choices available to dying people in the UK by gathering the evidence on the impact of the current blanket ban.
You can listen back to our discussion here (the discussion starts around 2 hrs 35 minutes in), on the BBC Sounds website.
I’ve campaigned on assisted dying since my brother, David, died of bone cancer in 2012. Despite receiving excellent care, there was no pain relief that could fully alleviate his agony. I had glimpses of what a good death should look like. When the morphine worked, David would be pain-free, surrounded by family, joking, or telling them how much he loved them.
But mostly, it was not like that. Our final memories of David are overshadowed by the hours he spent in agony, knowing the nurses were doing everything in their power and would do more if they could. But they were prevented from doing so by our cruel law.
Parliament must listen to dying people and their families. Dignity in Dying will be in touch in the new year with more information on what we can all do to make this happen.
P.S. If you missed my interview with Professor Paul Cosford on the Today Programme this morning, you can listen back to it here.
