What is Dignitas? Esther Rantzen calls for free vote on assisted dying amid battle with lung cancer

On December 19, 2023, Dame Esther Rantzen spoke on Radio 4's The Today Podcast about her decision to join Dignitas, an assisted dying clinic based in Switzerland. The 83-year-old British TV presenter was diagnosed with terminal cancer in January 2023 and learned that her lung cancer had advanced to stage four in May 2023, as per The Sun.

Currently undergoing a "miracle" treatment for her prognosis, Esther Rantzen said that the outcome of the same would seal her fate with regard to Dignitas. When asked what she would do if she was made prime minister for the week, Esther Rantzen replied:

"I would get them to do a free vote on assisted dying. I think it's important that the law catches up with what the country wants."

According to The Sun, Dignitas is a Swiss society that was founded in 1998 to help terminally, mentally, or physically ill adults end their lives in their homes or the society's house in Zurich.

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"Dying people should have the means to control their death": Dignitas said in a campaign to make assisted dying legal in the UK

According to its website, Dignitas is a not-for-profit Swiss society that campaigns for "Dignity in Dying."

"We believe assisted dying for terminally ill, mentally competent adults should be legal in the UK. Along with good care, dying people deserve the choice to control the timing and manner of their death," the site states.

Founded in 1998, Dignitas has helped over 2,100 people have assisted deaths, including 350 Britons. According to The Sun, individuals who want an assisted death via Dignitas have to prove that they are of sound mind, following which they must submit a formal request explaining why they want to die. Their wishes then have to be approved by doctors who are not part of Dignitas.

Dignitas hopes to bring about a change in the UK, by campaigning for assisted dying to allow "a dying person the choice to control their death if they decide their suffering is unbearable."

On their website, they claim:

"Every eight days a Briton travels to Dignitas for help to die. The absence of an assisted dying law forces dying people to take drastic measures to control their death. By refusing to change the law, Parliament turns a blind eye to the suffering dying people face."

As per The Sun, Dignitas reportedly charges between €4,000 (approximately $4,392) and €7,000 (approximately $7,687) for assisted dying.

According to the BBC, assisted suicide is banned in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and is a punishable offence with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years. In Switzerland, active euthanasia is illegal, but Swiss laws allow for assisted dying as long as the person isn't making the choice due to selfish reasons.

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"My family say it's my decision and my choice": Esther Rantzen speaks about her family's support during this difficult time

Speaking to Nick Robinson and Amol Rajan on the Today Podcast, Rantzen said that she didn't want her family's last memories of her to be painful. She and her late husband Desmond Wilcox have three children - Miriam, Rebecca, and Joshua.

On the podcast, Dame Esther Rantzen said:

“My family say it’s my decision and my choice. I explained to them that actually I don’t want their last memories of me to be painful because if you watch someone you love having a bad death, that memory obliterates all the happy times and I don’t want that to happen. I don’t want to be that sort of victim in their lives.”

Esther Rantzen also revealed that she thought she wouldn't be able to make it to this Christmas after her diagnosis. Speaking about her decision to join Dignitas, she said:

“I have in my brain thought, ‘Well, if the next scan says nothing’s working I might buzz off to Zurich,’ but, you know, it puts my family and friends in a difficult position because they would want to go with me. And that means that the police might prosecute them. So we’ve got to do something. At the moment, it’s not really working, is it?”

Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Esther Rantzen's second daughter Rebecca spoke about her choice and said:

"My mother never makes a decision in complete isolation but doesn't care what anyone else thinks. It's horrific and she always promised us she would live forever and she's not one to break her promises - but this is her choice. My late father didn't have a good death. It was horrific. His death replaced our memories of him for a very long time. That is what mum wants to avoid."

Dame Esther Rantzen is most famously known for being a TV presenter of the BBC show That's Life for 21 years. She also founded ChildLine in 1986, a charity that helps children and young adults in the UK.

Esther Rantzen stepped down as president of ChildLine following her cancer diagnosis and handed over the position to her daughter Rebecca.