Letter: Is it time for the country to consider legalising assisted dying for the terminally ill?

As a purely personal opinion (and as one living on “borrowed time”) I agree wholeheartedly with Hampshire resident Esther Rantzen’s recent plea for assisted dying to be made legal in this country.

In line with many other people’s views, a suffering pet will be put to sleep with love and compassion, so surely the same should be accorded to a willing human being?

Last year a friend left this world in most unpleasant circumstances. At 80+ his widespread cancer was quite irreversible and he knew he had perhaps three or four months to “exist”, yet he endured harrowing weeks of chemo and radiotherapy which was useless and unnecessary – crying out his wish to die while his poor wife had to watch it all, helpless and suffering in her own way.

I’m sure many readers could recount similar stories of relatives and friends who are going (or have gone) through such an experience. Yes, of course such a scheme would need to be very carefully supervised, monitored and recorded to ensure it is not abused in any way and everything follows that person’s true and unchangeable wish.

But what an unimaginable relief it would be to those currently receiving painful treatment and/or pumped full of medication simply to keep them breathing and aware in a world of unbearable suffering.

Phyllis Inglis

New Milton