British couple die at assisted suicide clinic

[Niels Bohr 72]

LONDON, England (CNN) -- An elderly British couple who died together at an assisted suicide clinic in Switzerland died "peacefully" after receiving "wonderful and humbling care" from their doctors, the couple's family said.

Peter and Penelope Duff from Bath, England, died in Zurich on February 27, according to a statement released Thursday by their family and reported by Britain's Press Association. Both had terminal cancer, the statement said.

"Penny had fought a rare cancer, GIST, since 1992 and Peter's colon cancer had spread to his liver," the statement said.

"Their decision in no way reflected on the wonderful and humbling care they have received from their consultant, doctors and nurses, for which the family, and they, were so appreciative."

Peter Duff, who was reported to be 80, was the executive chairman of Alcohol in Moderation, a nonprofit group that advocates a "sensible drinking ethos." His daughter, Helena Conibear, is executive director of AIM Digest, a monthly publication.

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Conibear and AIM could not be reached for comment Friday.

The Press Association said Penelope Duff was 70. Her condition, GIST, stands for gastrointestinal stromal tumor, a rare type of cancer found in the digestive system.

Dignity in Dying, a British charity that advocates the choice of assisted death for terminally ill patients, said it was "extremely sad" that the Duffs had to travel abroad to die.

"Had they had the option of an assisted death in this country they may still be alive, as their physical ability to travel would not have been a factor," said Sarah Wootton, chief executive of Dignity in Dying.

Wootton called on Parliament to modernize laws on suicide to allow for assisted dying.

Phyllis Bowman, executive director of Right to Life, which opposes euthanasia, also said the Duffs' case was sad.

"I think it's very sad, particularly as they could have gone together into a hospice. A hospice with cancer -- there is not uncontrollable pain," Bowman told CNN. "I think that with the euthanasia lobby, they feed on despair and they encourage despair rather than hope."

[JODO 2]

That is very sad .

[Dr. Obvious 49]

Good for them.

[Mags 112]

It's their choice and I'm glad they had a dignified end. May they rest in peace.

[Niels Bohr 72]

It's their choice and I'm glad they had a dignified end. May they rest in peace.

UK HUH

[Ban Hammer 14,569]

It's their choice and I'm glad they had a dignified end. May they rest in peace.

ita

[LoriLawless 1]

It's their choice and I'm glad they had a dignified end. May they rest in peace.

Absolutely.

[Mags 112]

It's their choice and I'm glad they had a dignified end. May they rest in peace.

UK HUH

You too, huh?

[Nessa 23]

good for them. just like on Bicentennial Man

[Nagishkaw 510]

[JODO 2]

I know. I'm all for people to have the right to end their lives with dignity and I never got the whole wacky Terry Schiavo debacle. I just hope we can get a cure for cancer this decade so people can stop having to make these tragic choices.

Edited March 7, 2009 by JODO

[tmma 467]

I know. I'm all for people to have the right to end their lives with dignity and I never got the whole wacky Terry Schiavo debacle. I just hope we can get a cure for cancer this decade so people can stop having to make these tragic choices.

The Terry Schiavo situation was basically that Terry Schiavo had NO advance directive on what SHE would want if rendered incapeable of conveying her wishes in the event of catastrophic illness or [in her case] brain injury/damage. So a court ended up deciding HER fate. I have so many issues with the Terry Schiavo case, I could go on and on for ages about it. But suffice to say at least it brought to people's attention the NEED to have a written advance directive so YOUR wishes [ and NOT some faceless judge] are followed.

--

I applaud the couple in this story.

It is just a travesty that they had to travel to another country to die with dignity.

[Reba 2]

I think more countries should legalize assisted deaths. I think its an absolute travesty that not only did this couple have to travel so far in order to end their own lives with dignity and no pain, but that in other countries anyone who assists someone to die painlessly of their own accord is subject to arrest and prison time.

Years ago there was a woman in Canada trying to overturn the laws. She had ALS and wanted to die when she could no longer control her own body. The court said no. She eventually did die, and it was suspected she was assisted, but I don't think anyone was arrested or prosecuted for it.

Anthropoligically speaking, it is natural to allow the terminally ill, and our elders to die assisted and painlessly with dignity. I don't understand the laws against it. I've worked in nursing homes and accute care wards in hospitals, it's not pretty to see them all day every day, in pain or don't even know their own name. For diseases that there is no cure, euthanasia seems the humane thing to offer.

May the rest in painless peace.

[JODO 2]

But suffice to say at least it brought to people's attention the NEED to have a written advance directive so YOUR wishes [ and NOT some faceless judge] are followed.

--

Exactly.