{"id":30301,"date":"2015-12-11T11:57:21","date_gmt":"2015-12-11T11:57:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jomec.co.uk\/altcardiff\/?p=30301"},"modified":"2015-12-11T11:57:21","modified_gmt":"2015-12-11T11:57:21","slug":"in-depth-euthanasia-life-imitates-art","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/2015\/12\/11\/in-depth-euthanasia-life-imitates-art\/","title":{"rendered":"In depth: Euthanasia – Life imitates art?"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are two things in life you can be certain of – everyone must pay their taxes, and eventually we all will die. For many, it\u2019s a question of when their final day will come. Others have taken the matter into their own hands. Or, more correctly, put it into the hands of others.<\/span><\/p>\n

Swansea siblings Tara O\u2019Reilly and Rose Baker are under investigation for their involvement in their mother\u2019s death in July of this year. Each knew Jackie Baker\u2019s time had come, and were there at her final moment. This is not a murder investigation, however; Jackie travelled to Switzerland together with her daughters so she could attend her appointment in Zurich\u2019s Dignitas<\/a>. She had suffered from motor neurone disease, and ended her life on 4 November. She was 59.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“A\u00a0majority were against change in legislation in 2006, which turned into a majority for change in 2014.”<\/h2>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The incident has sparked debate about the legality of euthanasia, and whether laws should be relaxed to take the lives of those suffering from terminal and debilitating illnesses into account. At present, euthanasia or assisted suicide is illegal across the UK, says Leon Griffith of the Welsh Government Press Office. \u201cThose found to have any involvement in the matter can face a prison term of up to 14 years,\u201d he says. In some cases, however, euthanasia can be seen as murder or manslaughter, and may be served with a life sentence.<\/span><\/p>\n

Euthanasia may be illegal in the UK, but it hasn\u2019t stopped people travelling to Switzerland, where it is legal, to end their own lives. Thousands of people have come to Dignitas since it was founded in 1998. Between 1998 and 2014, 274 Britons ended their lives there.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"euthanasia\"

Fictional story of two people<\/strong><\/p>\n

On 24 September, British author JoJo Moyes released <\/span>After You<\/span><\/em>, the sequel to the acclaimed <\/span>Me Before You<\/span><\/em>. Euthanasia and its consequences was a subject JoJo researched before her first draft, aiming to create \u201cNot a political manifesto, just a fictional story of two people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI knew a little about euthanasia before I wrote the first book,\u201d JoJo says. \u201cBut it was inspired by a case a few years ago of someone persuaded his parents to take him to Dignitas after he was left quadriplegic.\u201d This was the plight of Tony Nicklinson, left paralysed following a\u00a0<\/span>stroke in 2005. Tony spent the remainder of his life fighting to be allowed end it.<\/p>\n

But has the book\u2019s release led to a rise in people looking for support at the end of their lives? Thomas Davies of Dying in Dignity, an organisation providing support to those interested in euthanasia, doesn\u2019t think so. He does, however, recall one moment where popular culture led to an increase in interest in their work.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t remember those novels being referenced in any calls,\u201d Thomas recalls. \u201cOn <\/span>Coronation Street<\/span><\/em>, there was a storyline last January which gave us a lot of attention, though.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The storyline in question involved Hayley, who ended her own life following a cancer diagnosis in scenes aired in January 2014. At the time, Julie Hesmondhalgh, who portrayed Hayley, told the Metro the story did not focus on the right to die campaign, but still she could not have anticipated the reaction from the public.<\/span><\/p>\n

Watch Hayley’s final scenes below.<\/p>\n