An elderly woman who was a lifelong campaigner for euthanasia has died in Oxford, having starved herself to death over a period of five weeks.
Jean Davies, 86, did not suffer from a terminal illness but said her life had become “intolerable”. She chose to starve herself to death because she could not end her life legally any other way.
But Dr Peter Saunders, CEO of Christian Medical Fellowship, has warned that the manner of Mrs Davies’ death is an attempt to soften opposition to changing the law on euthanasia.
And Mrs Davies’ daughter has said that even though she saw her mother die this way, she does not believe the law needs to be changed.
Campaigner
Jean Davies had been an active campaigner for euthanasia since the 1970s, acting as president of the World Federation of Right to Die Societies from 1990 to 1992. She was also chair of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society UK (now Dignity in Dying) and published a book advocating euthanasia entitled Choice in Dying in 1997.
Mrs Davies had been thinking of taking her own life for two or three years but did not want to travel to the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland to end her life.
She decided to starve herself to death and contacted the Sunday Times four weeks into her fast. The newspaper published an extensive interview with her shortly afterwards.
“No need” for change in law
Even though her daughter, a nurse from Cardiff, witnessed the suffering of her mother as she starved herself to death, she does not believe that the law on euthanasia needs to be changed.
Speaking on Radio 4’s Today Programme, Bronwen Davies said: “I am of the view that it’s not necessary to change the law because if people realise they have the power to end their lives by stopping eating and drinking and that you are still entitled to medical care for any symptoms you encounter… if people realised they had the power to take matters into their own hands and take responsibility for their lives, and the ends of their lives, there might not need to be a change in the law.”
Tactic
Dr Peter Saunders has pointed out that publicising the effects of starvation as a way of dying has long been a tactic of the pro-euthanasia lobby.
Writing on his blog, Dr Saunders said that Helga Kuhse, then president of the World Federation of Right to Die Societies, advocated this at a Congress in 1984. She said people “will see what a painful way this is to die and then, in the patient’s best interests, they will accept the lethal injection.”
But Dr Saunders agrees with Mrs Davies’ daughter that there is no need for a change in law. He commented: “The present law making assisted suicide and euthanasia illegal is clear and right and does not need changing. The penalties it holds in reserve act as a strong deterrent to exploitation and abuse whilst giving discretion to prosecutors and judges in hard cases.”
Kind heart
Andrea Williams, CEO of Christian Concern, agreed saying: “It’s been said many times before but it bears repeating: the law on this matter has a stern face with a kind heart. It protects those who are most vulnerable—such as the elderly, disabled and depressed—from feeling pressured into taking their own lives.
“Whilst we have great compassion for those struggling with illness, our priority should be providing them with the care that they need. This is especially important given that requests for euthanasia are very rare when a patient’s various needs are taken care of.
“All of us are made in God’s image and precious in His sight. Life is not ours to take and the right response is care not killing.”