Reg Crew (Liverpool)
by Win Crew
My husband Reg suffered from Motor Neurone Disease. In January
2003, Reg, myself and my daughter Jan were forced to travel to
Switzerland to seek an assisted death, because the alternative - to
remain, and suffer, and die, in this country, would have been too
horrendous.
My husband suffered terribly as a result of MND. Only weeks after
the diagnosis he was unable to move his arms, depending on family
and carers to feed him, wash him, dress him. This progressed to his
legs, and in no time at all, he could neither feed himself nor go
to the toilet, and he had to sleep and live in a chair. He was
barely able to support his own head, and was told by doctors that
he would soon have to be fed from a peg. He was given an
informative video to watch, which outlined this process.
As each day passed, Reg found his life increasingly unbearable - a
living hell. Palliative care did little for him. His dignity was
stripped away, each time the disease closed down another part of
his body, and so was his independence. Reg loved life, but not in
the incapacitated shell of his former self. Motor Neurone Disease
robbed him of his autonomy.
Although I am a Roman Catholic, like many others in my position,
when Reg said he wanted medical assistance to die, to avoid a long
and painful death, I felt this was the right thing to do. I agreed
with him that the disease should not rob him of the ability to
choose the manner of his inevitable death.
Because assisted dying is illegal in the UK we were forced to
travel to the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland for Reg to get his
last wish. The journey to Switzerland was terrible for us all and
it is unkind to force people in Regs position to travel overseas
to get their last wish.
Reg always said he loved his country and wanted to die at home. He
felt it was grossly unfair that he had been called up to do
National Service and was prepared to die for his country but then
wasnt allowed to choose the manner of his death.
For several months after my return, I had the threat of legal
action hanging over me but what alternative was there?
Hundreds upon hundreds of people from all over the UK have written
to me with letters of support to say how unjust the current law is
and that it must be changed to give people like Reg the option of
requesting a dignified death.
Please help Dignity in Dying change in the law so that other people
do not have to make that same desperate journey to
Switzerland.
