Friend,
The death of a parent can be one of life’s saddest moments. But for me, assisted dying allowed me and my family to celebrate my parents’ lives as they died.
My name is Sher. You might have seen me in the recent Channel 4 documentary, Prue and Danny’s Death Road Trip, where I shared the story of my parents, Charlie and Francie, who were devoted to each other for 70 years.
Sadly, by 2017, terminal illness drastically reduced their quality of life: Dad with Parkinson’s and prostate cancer, and Mum with advanced heart disease. But because they lived in Oregon, my parents had access to an assisted dying law. That meant they could decide to peacefully control the end of their lives in their own home, surrounded by loved ones.
Thanks to Oregon’s compassionate law, my parents were able to die on their own terms. As their daughter, I was so comforted by the fact that they ended their lives just like how they lived – surrounded by love, side by side and hand in hand.
With the vast majority of people in the UK supporting assisted dying, I’m hopeful that the UK will soon have compassionate laws too – but it’ll take a lot for lawmakers to listen.
Friend, will you become a Dignity in Dying member today and join the movement for terminally ill people to have the right to die in peace, comfort and dignity?
Before my parents died, my family gathered to celebrate their remarkable 70 years together, with stories, hugs, tears and laughter. It was a day we will always treasure, and one we wouldn’t have had without Oregon’s Death with Dignity law.
Charlie and Francie’s story shows that safe and compassionate assisted dying laws are out there, and so many people around the world are benefitting from them. I hope the UK government will recognize the importance of this law and provide this essential option for its citizens facing terminal illness.
Friend, it is possible for the UK to legalise assisted dying. Can you become a Dignity in Dying member today and join the movement to change the law?
Thanks for hearing my story. With people like you standing up for choice at the end of life, I’m hopeful that soon, terminally ill people in the UK will gain the right to choose how and when they die – a gift which brought so much comfort to me and my family.
Sher
