Campaigners have urged MPs to 'Make Time for Assisted Dying' in a demonstration honouring a former activist. In the process, The Nottingham Dignity in Dying group paid tribute to former leader Tim Bell, from Sherwood, who died of bowel cancer aged 70 in 2018.
Before he died, Tim, who established the Nottingham Dignity in Dying group in 2017, had been diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2013 and wanted the choice of an assisted death. Tim had said he wanted to remain himself until the end, so he could have a peaceful death at a time of his choosing after saying goodbye to his family.
Tim was formerly the director of a charity in Nottingham whose aim was to support those affected by homelessness. The local group are continuing Tim’s legacy by urging MPs to pledge Make Time for Assisted Dying at demonstrations on Saturday (October 15) in West Bridgford and Sunday, October 15, between 11am – 1pm in Beeston (on the pedestrian high road).
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Group members were busy on Saturday handing out postcards to members of the public to send to Conservative MP for Rushcliffe Ruth Edwards, asking her to pledge her support for the campaign. Hilary Hare Duke, 64, of West Bridgford, leader of the Nottingham Dignity in Dying group, said people are much more open now about talking about the end of life.
"I think Covid has brought about the thinking about the end of our lives to a fore and people are concerned about having that control and choice to alleviate suffering. This isn't about assisted suicide. It's about people who are dying and it is about saying, 'they don't have to suffer at the end of life unnecessarily'.
"It's a specific campaign for adults with a terminal illness who are mentally competent and have a prognosis of six months or less to make a choice. It is not about ending a life that can be lived. It's about shortening a painful death".
The Make Time for Assisted Dying campaign calls on political parties to commit in their manifestos, ahead of the next general election, that any future assisted dying bill will have the time to be fully scrutinised, debated and brought to a free vote in the next Parliament.
Assisted dying - prescribing life-ending drugs for the terminally ill, or for mentally competent adults to administer themselves after meeting legal safeguards - is legal and regulated in certain US states, including California. In 2017, similar legislation was passed in Victoria, Australia.
However, assisted dying is illegal in England and Wales under section two of the Suicide Act 1961.
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