Assisted dying bill published in Scotland
Julie Lang says he husband Grahame had no quality of life after being diagnosed with a brain tumour
A Scottish woman is backing a new proposal for assisted dying to be introduced in Scotland.
Julie Lang's husband ended his life after years of battling with a brain tumour, she's been telling us she lives with the painful memories of seeing him suffer.
Julie went to the Scottish Parliament today to support a new bill to help people with terminal illnesses choose when they would like to end their life.
Assisted dying bill
Legislation to introduce assisted dying for terminally ill people in Scotland has been published at Holyrood – with the MSP behind it insisting there is “compelling evidence” to support the move.
Liam McArthur said he is “confident” the Scottish Parliament will back his legislation when it comes before it for a vote, adding “robust safeguards” are included in the Bill.
A consultation by Mr McArthur ahead of publication of his Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill found 76% of the 14,038 people who took part fully support such a change, with another 2% partially supporting it.
Opponents of the legislation have said they fear it would see the lives of people who are ill or disabled being “devalued”, with the Bishop of Paisley John Keenan branding it is a “dangerous idea”.
With Holyrood likely to vote on the proposals later this year, it will be the third time MSPs have considered the issue – with two previous attempts to change the law overwhelmingly defeated.
"He couldn't swallow saliva which left him drooling"
Julie is backing the new legislation after the death of her husband, she told Forth 1: "Grahame was not able to swallow meaning all of his food and medication had to go through a tube in his stomach via noisy pump running for ten hours every night.
"He couldn't swallow saliva either which left him drooling all the time.
"The other thing it affected was his speech - he had a permanent tracheostomy and he could only make a sound with a mechanical speaking valve."
The proposals are being brought to MSPs by Liam McArthur from the Scottish Liberal Democrats.
It follows a poll for the charity Dignity in Dying putting average support at 78%.
"His death was effectively a crime scene"
Grahame tried to end his life twice before the last attempt was successful in January 2009.
Julie added: "Although there is no law against suicide in Scotland, when Grahame did die it was effectively a crime scene.
"The police and the CID had to be called and that was ghastly."