23 December 2023 , 19:18
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Esther Rantzen sparked a national discussion by revealing she was considering using an assisted dying clinic. The debate on assisted dying provokes strong feelings but it is a conversation that we should not shy away from.
As our population ages, there will be a growing number of people who wish to make the choice Dame Esther is considering. It is nearly a decade since the Commons last debated the issue so it is right, as Keir Starmer and other MPs have suggested, it is revisited.
MPs will have to wrestle with the wish to treat life as sacrosanct while also not wanting to prolong agony and indignity. It is only MPs who have the power to decide whether assisted dying should be legalised and, if so, craft a law that protects the vulnerable.
Navigating this path will not be easy. There are questions of whether you allow assisted dying only for the terminally ill or also for those with other serious conditions. All opinions must be respected but it serves no one if this crucial issue is left unresolved.
Give gift of life
Heart transplant patients Grace, Nour and Beatrix showed incredible bravery as their lives hung in the balance. Seeing the children reunited, each now with a new organ keeping them alive thanks to the generosity of bereaved donor families, was a reminder that the most precious gift anyone can give is the gift of life itself.
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This is why the Mirror campaigned for so long until Max and Keira’s Law was realised. Under this legislation potential donors are included on the national register unless they opt out. This simple change has helped save hundreds. You only need to look at the smiles on Grace, Nour and Beatrix to appreciate how organ donation can transform lives.
Yule get stuck
It is important to observe the traditions of this festive season. But the annual misery of travel chaos is one Christmas ritual we could all do without.