Let’s not beat about the bush on this one. Assisted dying, assisted suicide or whichever phrase you personally prefer to use is a hugely contentious subject and for good reason. Just to warn those who are unhappy with the "Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill's progress: I support it. While much detail still needs to be worked out, particularly how it will work in practice and protect the most vulnerable in society, I wholeheartedly support the premise: the choice and autonomy, not to mention the peace of mind, that choosing our death on our terms will bring.
Talking about death is a huge taboo, especially in Western culture and I get it. For many, death is scary. It brings uncertainty and highlights a lack of control in our lives which then drives the fear. But just because something is scary or we're fearful of it doesn't mean that we shouldn't talk about it or share our own thoughts, beliefs and wishes with our loved ones. These are important conversations and as someone that has dealt with the loss of someone close to me, I am immensely glad that we were able to talk about their wishes before their death. This alleviated some of the pressures that arise after a loved one has passed. Decisions I didn't need to make in my moments of grief which, put simply, would have made the grieving process even harder.
The Bill will give those with a terminal diagnosis and less than six months to live the ability to request medical support to end their lives. My initial understanding of the bill seems to indicate that the patient would need to be able to administer their own medication. The very medication that would then cause them to drift off to sleep where they would then pass away.
This requirement means many people with terminal diagnoses would be excluded. Let’s say someone with MND, specifically ALS, which is very much a terminal illness but one that takes away a person’s ability to move due to muscle atrophy. Someone in this position would not be able to administer the medication themselves.
I have always been a supporter of choice and autonomy when it comes to ending our lives. This became more pressing for me when I began experiencing my own health challenges and the subsequent diagnosis of multiple neurological diseases. Although I am lucky not to have a terminal illness or diagnosis, my conditions are debilitating and I don't know what the future looks like nor how or if they will progress in any way, but as it currently stands, I will not be eligible for help to end my life under this Bill.
So while many are trying to pressure the government to scrap this bill and prevent this once-in-a-lifetime change in law, I am pushing for it to go even further. I'd like to see it provide people like myself with options; choice, autonomy, and most importantly, peace of mind.
I know this is controversial and I appreciate the arguments against it. It is true that some could be coerced or made to feel like assisted suicide is the only option, and that is truly terrible, and I hope adequate safeguards are put in place to limit this risk to the lowest it can be. Will the risk ever be zero? Of course not. There is simply no way to do this, and even without the bill, people are taking their own lives whether by their own choice or by being coerced. By having a regulated, legal framework in place, we can better ensure that those choosing assisted dying are doing so with full autonomy and not for other reasons.
The "Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is a vital first step, but the conversation cannot end there. As we debate the details, we must not create a two-tier system of compassion, offering peace of mind to some while denying it to others who live with debilitating conditions. This debate must be guided by the principle of 'Nothing About Us Without Us', centring the lived experiences of all disabled people. True autonomy isn't about giving up; it's about gaining control over the one life we have. For me, and for many others, that is a right worth fighting for.
