A man with terminal cancer wants to fly to Switzerland for an assisted death but cannot afford the cost.
Tim Wardle, 84, says Britain’s ban on assisted dying means the right to die is only available to those who can fork out more than £10,000 to travel to a centre such as Dignitas.
The dad-of-three, who is calling for a law change, said: “I would go if I could afford it. Many, many people can’t afford that.
“How many of us have that money we don’t need or perhaps want to leave to our children or wife?”
The retired architect, of Newton Abbot, Devon, was told last year that cancer on his kidneys was inoperable, having faced cancers in his bladder, prostate and lungs.
“I’d already decided I didn’t want any more intrusive procedures,” said Tim, who is now on end-of-life care.
After losing his grandfather, mother and two sisters to cancer, he is determined to face death on his terms.
He said seeing his sister at the end of her life in Canada left him certain people should have a choice over their death. Tim said: “She was a lovely woman but she ended up looking like someone who had come out of one of the Nazi concentration camps. She was in obvious pain.
“She was a very private person and hated the loss of dignity. Canada has subsequently made laws for assisted dying, but they came too late for her.”
He added: “The things I fear are a loss of dignity. And obviously there’s a pain factor. Also I would not want my wife and my son to see me like my sister.”
Tim believes assisted dying should be available to people in Britain who are terminally ill or suffering with conditions such as Motor Neurone Disease.
Calling for an urgent law change in Britain as MPs carry out a parliamentary inquiry into assisted dying, he added: “We’re Victorian in our attitude to death.
“We treat our animals better than we do people. If you find a pet to be suffering intolerably, you are considered doing the right thing if you have them put down.
“If we can do that for our animals who can’t express a view, why can’t we do that for humans who can.”
Those opposed fear it could lead to people ending their lives out of fear of becoming a burden and instead call for better palliative care services.
Trevor Moore, chair of My Death, My Decision, said: “Who can listen to Tim’s story and think he should suffer? People in the UK deserve the right to make choices at the end of their lives - it’s his death, it should be his decision.”
