Terminally-ill people must have right to hasten end of their life
GEORGE Martin is an 86-year old-man from Nottinghamshire. He was recently diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and requires 24-hour care.
Mr Martin made the decision a while ago that he wants to die – he feels that he has lived a good life and that it is time for him to go. However, the Suicide Act, passed in 1961, makes this impossible – anyone who assisted Mr Martin in his suicide would be breaking the law and would face punishment.
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Euthanasia plea: George Martin, 86, from Westwood, is suffering from terminal lung cancer.
Two weeks ago, Mr Martin made the decision to stop eating, as he feels that the only way the law will allow him to die is by starvation.
This law has been re-assessed frequently as more and more people call for it to be changed, however there are fears that if the law, which has been changed in the US, was changed here there would be more than 1,000 deaths by euthanasia per year.
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Is there really anything wrong with that? Personally, I see no problem in allowing people to die as long as there are strict guidelines – of course, the change of law should never be abused, for example, to allow someone who is healthy but does not feel as though their life is worth living, to die.
If the guidelines stated that only terminally-ill patients could receive euthanasia, I see no issue.
A further guideline should perhaps consider time – if a person is not in pain and has been diagnosed with perhaps more than a year of life remaining, they should not receive euthanasia, as surely there is still some hope that they will find happiness.
If a person has been given more than a year to live, but is in great pain, is there any point in prolonging their life?
If people are being reduced to starving themselves in order to end their suffering, then something needs to be done. If someone's quality of life is so bad that they feel there is no point in continuing, knowing that they will die sooner rather than later, they should be able to make that decision.
Everyone should have control of their own fate and, as long as a person is old enough, they should be allowed to choose when they die if they are terminally ill – perhaps regardless of family wishes?
A family may be selfish in wanting to hold on to someone they love, even if that person is in pain. As long as guidelines are carefully adhered to, and doctor's recommendations given, I think this law should be changed.
3 Comments
by lulu65
Saturday, March 09 2013, 2:33PM
“This is a terrible situation for Mr Martin and his family. My mother chose Dignitas after struggling with chronic pain due to her condition, but she was lucky to be able to afford to go there. This poor person should be allowed the dignity of being offered the help he needs to end his plight. He clearly has the ability to be able to say what he wants and he is being denied his last wish. What does that say about the laws themselves? Doesnt that make them guilty of enforcing suffering upon him? Does it not surmount to an abuse of his own personal human rights to be able to choose?
Starving yourself to death is a painful and difficult way to go. Give him the extra shots he needs to end his misery. The more we speak out about being able to make the choice the sooner it has to be on the table again for public debate, not just Governemnt, who need to wake up and hear what we're saying. God speed again Mr Martin, and those that read this and agree should lobby their local Parlimentary Constituency until they listen. Donella Trickey.”
by DignitySA
Friday, March 08 2013, 4:52PM
“My mother chose to starve herself to death after suffering with multiple cancers and having no quality of life left whatsoever. After 33 days she was still alive, begging me to help her die. Which I did. I was convicted and served 5 months under house arrest in NZ.
What neither of us realised was that it was the water (one glass a day) that was keeping her alive.
No-one should have to starve themselves to death in order to end their sufferering. Laws around the world need to change. Support the organisation in your country - they cannot do it alone.”
by DignitySA
Friday, March 08 2013, 4:50PM
“My mother chose to starve herself to death. She drank but 1 glass of water a day. After 33 days she begged me to help her die. Which I did. I was convicted for assisting her death and spent 5 months under house arrest in New Zealand. What we both didn't realise was that it was the water that kept her alive for so long.
No-one should have to starve themselves to death in order to end their suffering. A good death is as much a human right as a good life is.”