A right to die with dignity

I READ the article by Sean Davison with great interest, “Madiba’s illness has to get us talking about issues of death” (August 4). I have had a living will for more than 20 years. My children are aware of it, but should the situation arise, it is their responsibility to provide the medical profession with this document because my doctor refuses to accept it.

His argument is that he took the Hippocratic Oath to save lives and, as far as he is concerned, withholding any form of life support goes against that oath.

The more I pointed out that this was my decision, not his, the more adamant he was that he would not respect my living will. And the living will is not even related to assisting a person to die — it is simply instructing the medical profession not to prolong the inevitable.

It seems incredible that we will not allow our animals to suffer when they are no longer able to enjoy life. It is fully acceptable to painlessly relieve them of their suffering.

But a human being who is of sound mind and who should be allowed to decide what they want to do with their own life is not allowed to take any such decision. Why should the government have the right to tell me what I can and can’t do with my body?

Apart from the pain and suffering the patient is experiencing, there is also a huge amount of pain and suffering to the surviving family, who have to watch their loved one and are not in a position to help them. — DignitySA supporter, by e-mail