A euthanasia campaigner nicknamed Dr Death has said he is preparing to take a Sussex woman abroad to be helped to die.
Michael Irwin said he is expecting to escort the 91-year-old – who does not have a terminal illness – to Switzerland’s Dignitas clinic in the next few months.
The woman is believed to be the first person from Sussex to use the clinic.
Dr Irwin, a 79-year-old former GP, of Cromwell Road, Hove, has claimed he has helped 50 patients die.
Speaking exclusively to The Argus yesterday, he said: “I’m in touch with somebody who lives in Eastbourne who is 91, who is not terminally ill but who will be going to Switzerland in the next two or three months.
“She has extensive arthritis. She has decided, “I can’t go on much longer”.
“Generally you feel it should be a relative or a very close friend who goes, but she has no relatives any more, her husband is dead, she has no children, she lives in a care home.”
The woman has arthritis, but is not expected to die from her mmedical problems.
The Argus asked to be put in contact with the 91-year-old, however Dr Irwin said she wished to remain anonymous.
For the full story see today's Argus.
Comments
Decent of him to accompany Her. There comes a point when the quality of life is no longer with you and you think enough is enough. You would not allow an animal to suffer with chronic arthritis but expect someone who is elderly to live in crippling pain on medication. I hope some kind Soul helps me should the need arise.
Decent of him to accompany Her. There comes a point when the quality of life is no longer with you and you think enough is enough. You would not allow an animal to suffer with chronic arthritis but expect someone who is elderly to live in crippling pain on medication. I hope some kind Soul helps me should the need arise.
^ Decent post. Fully agree
^ Decent post. Fully agree
there are some on here who comment that I would gladly assist terminally ill or not
there are some on here who comment that I would gladly assist terminally ill or not
I thought wrote…
Decent of him to accompany Her. There comes a point when the quality of life is no longer with you and you think enough is enough. You would not allow an animal to suffer with chronic arthritis but expect someone who is elderly to live in crippling pain on medication. I hope some kind Soul helps me should the need arise.
I agree completely- I have experience of a famly member who has little or no quality of life due to crippling pain. It is ohrrible to watch. The condition, like arthritis, is not terminal in itself though. If a person is capable of making an informed, personal decision themselves that would prefer to die then they should be allowed to do so. It is their life, their pain, their choice
I thought wrote…
Decent of him to accompany Her. There comes a point when the quality of life is no longer with you and you think enough is enough. You would not allow an animal to suffer with chronic arthritis but expect someone who is elderly to live in crippling pain on medication. I hope some kind Soul helps me should the need arise.
I agree completely- I have experience of a famly member who has little or no quality of life due to crippling pain. It is ohrrible to watch. The condition, like arthritis, is not terminal in itself though. If a person is capable of making an informed, personal decision themselves that would prefer to die then they should be allowed to do so. It is their life, their pain, their choice
What a loverly man.
What a loverly man.
I love the way the headline describes the poor woman as "healthy" when she has chronic arthritis and is in constant pain. She's suffering from a crippling, debilitating condition which has a huge impact on the quality of life for the elderly and other sufferers of the condition, not exactly 'healthy' as far as I can see. But it makes for a headline, doesn't it?
I love the way the headline describes the poor woman as "healthy" when she has chronic arthritis and is in constant pain. She's suffering from a crippling, debilitating condition which has a huge impact on the quality of life for the elderly and other sufferers of the condition, not exactly 'healthy' as far as I can see. But it makes for a headline, doesn't it?
79 years old, is he? It'll be his own turn soon, no doubt.
79 years old, is he? It'll be his own turn soon, no doubt.
Made up story but still it keeps everyone talking about the subject.Is that black mini still driving around.
Made up story but still it keeps everyone talking about the subject.Is that black mini still driving around.
I saw Terry Pratchet's t v programme about this place and it only reinforced my belief that we should all have the right to be able to chose when our life may end..
This poor lady deserves a peaceful end, and all power to Dr Irwin and the Dignitas Clinic.
I saw Terry Pratchet's t v programme about this place and it only reinforced my belief that we should all have the right to be able to chose when our life may end..
This poor lady deserves a peaceful end, and all power to Dr Irwin and the Dignitas Clinic.
nice, unbiased reporting on 'dr death' there. keep up the good work. i'd have thought if ANYONE could empathise with the concept of putting something that's OBVIOUSLY suffering out of it's misery, it would be the argus staff.
nice, unbiased reporting on 'dr death' there. keep up the good work. i'd have thought if ANYONE could empathise with the concept of putting something that's OBVIOUSLY suffering out of it's misery, it would be the argus staff.
Dr Irwqin is a great and a compassionate person. I hope when I feel I have had enough there will be someone to help me with my wishes. I am leaving a living will and will state that I want my life to end in peace and not agony. My mother was 96 had an operation and was never going to come round so was myself and my brothers going to let her live just so we could go and visit her,no our love for our mother was so deep that it was the only decision we could come to was to let her suffering end. That is love.
Dr Irwqin is a great and a compassionate person. I hope when I feel I have had enough there will be someone to help me with my wishes. I am leaving a living will and will state that I want my life to end in peace and not agony. My mother was 96 had an operation and was never going to come round so was myself and my brothers going to let her live just so we could go and visit her,no our love for our mother was so deep that it was the only decision we could come to was to let her suffering end. That is love.
How rude is calling this man Dr.Death.
How rude is calling this man Dr.Death.
I think anyone should be able to choose the time they want to die, weather they are ill or just have had enough of this life
I think anyone should be able to choose the time they want to die, weather they are ill or just have had enough of this life
Interesting that despite the very negative reporting bias from the Argus, all comments thus far in support. Nice to see the local paper has its finger on its readers' pulses (no pun intended). Like the others, I agree that we should have the right to end our lives when we choose to do so.
Interesting that despite the very negative reporting bias from the Argus, all comments thus far in support. Nice to see the local paper has its finger on its readers' pulses (no pun intended). Like the others, I agree that we should have the right to end our lives when we choose to do so.
I fully back this decision. It should be someone's right to chose when they go. I think this sort of thing should be made legal in the uk to be honest.
I fully back this decision. It should be someone's right to chose when they go. I think this sort of thing should be made legal in the uk to be honest.
I fully back this decision. It should be someone's right to chose when they go. I think this sort of thing should be made legal in the uk to be honest.
I fully back this decision. It should be someone's right to chose when they go. I think this sort of thing should be made legal in the uk to be honest.
Hi there,
I first heard about this on the TV news. I wanted to do something about it, and have ended up here.
Reading through the article, and others like it on the web, a lot is said about "choice" and the discussion of right and wrong, but there is something important that is getting overlooked: the fundamental fact that there is a lady who is in some sense so miserable that she thinks life is no longer worth living.
I can imagine how, with no relations and presumably few friends, someone could be so isolated and lonely that they come to this conclusion. In the care home one hopes she is looked after well, from a professional viewpoint - but good professional care is not the same as friendship: it can involve looking after someone's physical needs without ever meeting the deeper human need of real, deep love and heart-to-heart connection.
It is terrible that anyone, young or old, in full health or with painful arthritis, should end up in a situation like this. I want to say to the lady of Eastbourne:
"Don't despair: even though we have never met, I love you and care what happens to you."
I want to be there for this lady; to somehow put "beautiful flowers" into her life - and the lives of those like her; elderly, or depressed, or with mental health problems, or whoever they are.
Jonathan
Hi there,
I first heard about this on the TV news. I wanted to do something about it, and have ended up here.
Reading through the article, and others like it on the web, a lot is said about "choice" and the discussion of right and wrong, but there is something important that is getting overlooked: the fundamental fact that there is a lady who is in some sense so miserable that she thinks life is no longer worth living.
I can imagine how, with no relations and presumably few friends, someone could be so isolated and lonely that they come to this conclusion. In the care home one hopes she is looked after well, from a professional viewpoint - but good professional care is not the same as friendship: it can involve looking after someone's physical needs without ever meeting the deeper human need of real, deep love and heart-to-heart connection.
It is terrible that anyone, young or old, in full health or with painful arthritis, should end up in a situation like this. I want to say to the lady of Eastbourne:
"Don't despair: even though we have never met, I love you and care what happens to you."
I want to be there for this lady; to somehow put "beautiful flowers" into her life - and the lives of those like her; elderly, or depressed, or with mental health problems, or whoever they are.
Jonathan
Hi there,
I first heard about this on the TV news. I wanted to do something about it, and have ended up here.
Reading through the article, and others like it on the web, a lot is said about "choice" and the discussion of right and wrong, but there is something important that is getting overlooked: the fundamental fact that there is a lady who is in some sense so miserable that she thinks life is no longer worth living.
I can imagine how, with no relations and presumably few friends, someone could be so isolated and lonely that they come to this conclusion. In the care home one hopes she is looked after well, from a professional viewpoint - but good professional care is not the same as friendship: it can involve looking after someone's physical needs without ever meeting the deeper human need of real, deep love and heart-to-heart connection.
It is terrible that anyone, young or old, in full health or with painful arthritis, should end up in a situation like this. I want to say to the lady of Eastbourne:
"Don't despair: even though we have never met, I love you and care what happens to you."
I want to be there for this lady; to somehow put "beautiful flowers" into her life - and the lives of those like her; elderly, or depressed, or with mental health problems, or whoever they are.
Jonathan
Hi there,
I first heard about this on the TV news. I wanted to do something about it, and have ended up here.
Reading through the article, and others like it on the web, a lot is said about "choice" and the discussion of right and wrong, but there is something important that is getting overlooked: the fundamental fact that there is a lady who is in some sense so miserable that she thinks life is no longer worth living.
I can imagine how, with no relations and presumably few friends, someone could be so isolated and lonely that they come to this conclusion. In the care home one hopes she is looked after well, from a professional viewpoint - but good professional care is not the same as friendship: it can involve looking after someone's physical needs without ever meeting the deeper human need of real, deep love and heart-to-heart connection.
It is terrible that anyone, young or old, in full health or with painful arthritis, should end up in a situation like this. I want to say to the lady of Eastbourne:
"Don't despair: even though we have never met, I love you and care what happens to you."
I want to be there for this lady; to somehow put "beautiful flowers" into her life - and the lives of those like her; elderly, or depressed, or with mental health problems, or whoever they are.
Jonathan