What’s a normal life?

D Partner wrote of knowing people “begging to be released from their life rather than continue with injuries

that will prevent a normal life” (Letters, September 9). And this appears to be the point, something that will “prevent” a so-called “normal life”, and all the fear and discomfort that goes with that.

What is a normal life? Many people have conditions or disabilities that do not allow them to live what most would call a “normal life”. Many people have things that happen to them that change their life from what they considered “normal” before.

The answer to problems, changes,

injuries, or even the diagnosis of a terminal condition is not to kill the person, or for the person to kill themselves. Most people faced with the fear and shock make decisions they later regret. When a person feels hopeless and wishes to end their life, true compassion is standing by that person and helping them deal with the underlying fears that led them to such a decision. It is not offering them the drugs to off themselves or offering to inject a

poison for them.

Our proposed law has copied the Oregon requirement of the person being expected to die within six months to qualify. The Oregon interpretation is that the person will die within six months if they do not receive any life-sustaining treatment, meaning that diabetes, arthritis, and even “complications from a fall” are “terminal” illnesses in Oregon.

Oregon statistics state the most common reasons given for people ending their lives were “decreasing ability to participate in activities that made life enjoyable” and “loss of autonomy”. [Abridged] A BENFELL

Gonville