Terminally Ill Esther Rantzen Plans Solo Trip to Dignitas

Dame Esther Rantzen, the 85-year-old Childline founder and former broadcaster, is making arrangements to travel alone to the Swiss assisted dying clinic Dignitas due to fears that her family could be accused of killing her if they accompanied her. She is terminally ill with cancer and has been a prominent advocate for the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which is currently being debated in the House of Lords and aims to legalize assisted dying for terminally ill adults in England and Wales. Despite her campaigning efforts, any change in the law would likely come too late to benefit her. Rantzen expressed a heartfelt wish to say goodbye to her family and for them to witness that she has a good death, emphasizing her fear is not of death itself but of suffering a painful death. The bill has sparked heated debates, with supporters calling it one of the safest in the world requiring approval from doctors and an expert panel, while opponents, including a former prime minister, have criticized it as a 'license to kill.' During the debate, peers reflected on personal stories and the need for dignity and choice at the end of life, with calls to respect the will of the elected House of Commons and improve the bill's safeguards rather than block it.