Dame Esther Rantzen says she has one major worry about her choice to die by euthanasia
Warning: This article contains discussion of assisted suicide which some readers may find distressing.
Dame Esther Rantzen has shared the one major worry she has about choosing to be euthanised.
The 83-year-old journalist and TV presenter was diagnosed with lung cancer in early 2023, and months later she announced it was terminal.
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After being told her cancer had advanced to stage four, Rantzen joined Dignitas, an organisation in Switzerland for assisted dying.
However, in the England, Wales and Northern Ireland, euthanasia is still illegal. While there's no specific offence for it in Scotland, it is considered illegal and can be prosecuted as murder or manslaughter.
Rantzen's decision could leave her family facing the possibility of prosecution, should they join her and support her.
The TV presenter, who founded the the charity helpline Childline, appeared on Good Morning Britain today (29 April) to discuss her dilemma, as Westminster is due to debate the laws around assisted dying.
Speaking to Susanna Reid, Rantzen outlined the issues her loved ones face if she goes through with her plans.
"It does mean that if I go to Switzerland, my family can't come with me for fear of being interrogated by the police which is not what you want your family to go through," she told the GMB host.
Rantzen has experienced an outpouring of support from fans after publicly sharing her story however, with some even offering to accompany her to Switzerland.
She said: "Among the wonderful messages of support, there are people who say they'd go with me or people who live in Zurich and would meet me off the plane so I don't know, it's really a decision for my family to make. This whole thing is really to try and save them from a terrible memory."
The 83-year-old went on to announce she has lived 'considerably longer' thanks to a new drug, enabling her to maintain some optimism.
Rantzen's daughter, Rebecca Wilcox, also appeared on the ITV show, sharing her own views on her mother's illness and choices regarding her death.
"If it was up to me, I would be there," Wilcox told Reid and Richard Madeley. "If I go, I face prosecution, which could take up to two years."
She went on to reveal she could earn a fourteen-year prison sentence if she chooses to help her mother pass away.
Wilcox also admitted her husband, James Moss, is not in favour of her going to Switzerland due to the potential legal consequences, making the situation even tougher for her.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.
Topics: Celebrity, Celebrity News, Health, Esther Rantzen
Danni King