A lasting legacy for right-to-die campaigner

Madam, – Recent coverage in The Courier and other media of Richard Selley’s campaign for the legalisation of assisted dying and of his own death on Friday (Final plea over assisted dying, Courier, September 6), must have made many people wonder what kind of democracy we live in.

Around 100 million people worldwide now have access to assisted dying, yet a supposedly forward-thinking country like Scotland makes some of its people either suffer a prolonged death or go abroad, perhaps months before they would otherwise have chosen to die, in order to legally get help to escape their suffering.

We expect to make choices about most things in life, including about what treatment to accept when we are ill.

Why then can’t we choose when and how to die?

There is no likelihood that legalising assisted dying will suddenly lead to thousands of people every year asking for help to die, but for the small number whose suffering cannot be eased and who have reached the point where life has become unbearable, we have to allow them the choice.

Mr Selley was so brave and unselfish in using his final months to fight for the legalisation of assisted dying, knowing that it couldn’t happen in time to help him.

How sad it is that he couldn’t spend his final weeks relaxing in the company of those close to him, safe in the knowledge that he could eventually get help to die in his own home at a time of his choosing.

We need our elected representatives to reflect the view of the majority of people in this country and legalise assisted dying, so that there is no more need for trips abroad to take advantage of kinder laws.

If this were already in place, Mr Selley could have had more time with his family, knowing that he would eventually be helped to die at home.

Most people want to survive as long as possible and even those who would consider assisted dying hope never to need it. We just want it to be there if and when absolutely necessary.

This is not about palliative care versus assisted dying as two opposing services.

We need well-funded and effective palliative care with the option of an assisted death as the end point for the small minority who will actually want it.

Sadly, it is too late now for Mr Selley, but wouldn’t it be wonderful if his courage in speaking out could tip the balance of argument in the Scottish Parliament, so that the law is changed? Moira Symons. Tayside Group co-ordinator, Friends at the End, Dundee.