Anne Jappie, a 65-year-old woman living with multiple sclerosis (MS), has voiced her support for the assisted dying bill currently under consideration by Parliament. Highlighting the profound distinction between ending life and ending suffering, Anne emphasizes that the bill is about “shortening death,” not life.
As MPs continue to debate amendments to the legislation—including the roles and responsibilities of medical professionals—the bill is expected to face a vote in June. Key discussions focus on ensuring that no doctor is forced to participate in assisted dying against their beliefs.
Anne, a former journalist from Cheltenham, has been grappling with intense pain and the financial barrier of the £15,000 required to access assisted dying services abroad, such as at Dignitas in Switzerland. She describes witnessing Parliament’s careful and seemingly non-partisan approach to the bill as “a relief.”
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“It’s been genuine,” Anne said. “But I’m deeply concerned that if this bill doesn’t pass through the committee now, it could be another four years before there’s any progress. This isn’t something that will happen overnight.”
Anne underscores that doctors opposed to assisted dying “do not have to do it” and can simply “step aside,” a provision designed to respect individual conscience while offering an option to those suffering.
For Anne, the stakes are clear: “It’s disgraceful if the choice of assisted death isn’t available to people with mental capacity. Denying this option is effectively withholding full access to necessary medical information and choices.”
She stresses that the existence of palliative care does not diminish the need for assisted dying, stating, “The whole issue is so depressing. This isn’t about shortening life—it’s about shortening death and relieving unbearable suffering.”