I’d ground her plane to Dignitas but it’s her choice – I don’t want her to die like dad, Esther Rantzen’s daughter says
THE DAUGHTER of TV legend Esther Rantzen has revealed how she feels about her mum’s decision to join Dignitas.
The BBC television presenter this week revealed she had joined assisted the dying clinic after battling lung cancer.
The star was told she had stage four terminal cancer in January and and does not know how long she has left.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain her daughter Rebecca Wilcox has now revealed what her family thinks about the decision.
She said: “My mother never makes a decision in complete isolation but doesn’t care what anyone else thinks.
“Its horrific and she always promised us she would live forever and she not one to break her promises – but this is her choice.
“I would want to ground her plane if she was gouging to Zurich but it’s her choice. She is absolutely correct.
“My late father didn’t have a good death. It was horrific. His death replaced our memories of him for a very long time.
“That is what mum wants to avoid.”
It comes after Esther, 83, said she did not know how long she had to live.
Speaking on the Today Podcast, she said: “I have joined Dignitas.
“I have in my brain thought, ‘Well, if the next scan says nothing’s working I might buzz off to Zurich,’ but, you know, it puts my family and friends in a difficult position because they would want to go with me.
“And that means that the police might prosecute them. So we’ve got to do something. At the moment, it’s not really working, is it?”
Rebecca added: “When we got the diagnosis in January we never thought we’d have Christmas with her again but here we are.
“She’s coming here for Christmas. It’s a joy and delight.
“I don’t want her to die but I want her to have the choice.”
It has long been a topic of debate whether or not assisted dying should become legal in the UK.
Dame Esther’s comments are likely to inspire renewed discussion of the UK’s ban on it.
Esther is best known for presenting That’s Life for 21 years from 1973 to 1994.
The show, a forerunner to The One Show, pulled in audiences of up to 20million – ratings unmatched by almost anything on TV today.
Esther fronted the series, which focused on funny items, consumer investigations and human-interest stories, for 21 years, from 1973 until 1994.
Founded in 1998, over 2,100 people have died with Dignitas’ help, in assisted suicides at home or at the society’s house near Zürich.
The Swiss society helps members with severe physical or mental illnesses, as well as the terminally ill, to end their own lives.
Members who want an assisted death have to prove that they are of sound judgement, and have to be able to bring about their deaths themselves.
They must submit a formal request, including a letter explaining why they want to die, and have their wishes approved by doctors who aren’t part of the organisation.
British patients wishing to die have travelled to Switzerland to pay for an assisted death at one of Dignitas’ rented apartments.
Both euthanasia and assisted suicide are illegal in the UK, with euthanasia carrying a maximum penalty of life in jail.
The only exception to this is “passive euthanasia”, which involves the withdrawal of treatment to extend someone’s life, like a life support machine being turned off.
In Switzerland, active euthanasia is also illegal, although it is not a crime to prescribe lethal drugs, provided the recipient takes an active role in taking them.
Essentially, Swiss law only allows for providing the means to commit suicide, so long as the reasons for doing so aren’t selfish.
Dignitas reportedly charges between €4,000 (£3,600) and €7,000 (£6,400) for assisted suicide.