Should We Have Right to Choose How We Die? ; the Great Debate

Summary

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NEXT month Ann Leedham, a board member from campaign group Dignity in Dying, will give a talk in Cheltenham about the organisation's aims and work. But should everyone have the right to choose how they die? Here Canon Adrian Slade, director for social responsibility in the Diocese of Gloucester, and Phil Cork, chairman of the Cotswold Humanists, give their views: ONE of things Jesus talked about, says Canon Adrian Slade, was coming to give all people life. That's not just life after death, but a fullness of life now. As a Christian, I believe that although death is an inevitable part of life, it does not end our existence. Death is not to be feared or shunned, but is the gateway to something far greater than our current life.

This does not mean that the Christian view is to deny people the right to a good death. Compassion for those who are terminally ill and suffering is integral to the Christian faith. Preserving people's dignity as they approach death is incredibly important and so is providing excellent palliative care. There is a concern that a growing culture of litigation might lead to health professionals keeping an individual alive at any cost, even when there is little hope for recovery. There is a case for each person recording their wishes about treatment at the end of their life.

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Should We Have Right to Choose How We Die? ; the Great Debate

Also of concern is the ability of each individual to make choices for themselves. A significant change to the law on assiste...

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