Related tags:
Suicide + (10)
death + (5)
TerryPratchett + (4)
euthanasia + (4)
alzheimers + (4)

What happened next is that Pratchett collapsed. “I had to kneel on the back seat of the taxi and give him CPR,” Rob says. “It was fingers down throat stuff. He nearly died.” -- Extracts from an interview by Laurie Penny of Terry Pratchett reveal he nearly died and is planning to leave the Discworld in the hands of his daughter, Rhianna Pratchett. [more inside]
posted by MartinWisse on Nov 14, 2012 - 84 comments

The British Columbia Supreme Court has struck down a ban on physician-assisted suicide, in a whopping 1415-paragraph decision. [more inside]
posted by Lemurrhea on Jun 15, 2012 - 57 comments

Terry Pratchett starts process to take his own life. Sir Terry Pratchett, the fantasy writer who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2008, said yesterday he had started the formal process that could lead to his own assisted suicide at the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland. The fantasy writer Terry Pratchett says he has received consent forms requesting assisted suicide but has not yet signed them. [Previously] [Previously]
posted by Fizz on Jun 13, 2011 - 132 comments

Los Angeles grandmother sells suicide kits to allow the elderly to "die with dignity."
posted by hermitosis on Apr 30, 2011 - 99 comments

How 2000AD artist and MS sufferer John Hicklenton chose to end his life: The Herald reports on the death of John Hinckleton - Pat Mills writes on his life. See some of his art here. [more inside]
posted by mippy on Dec 9, 2010 - 17 comments

'I looked into that camera. And I just said it.' Ray Gosling, a well-regarded UK journalist and activist investigated for mercy killing after an on-air confession, has been found guilty of "wasting police time" instead.
posted by availablelight on Oct 6, 2010 - 47 comments

Before anybody gets a heart attack, he aten't dead. The Guardian has a new interview with Terry Pratchett, talking about his writing and state of health. [more inside]
posted by kmz on Sep 3, 2010 - 46 comments

"And maybe this is the time to share a secret that I've kept for quite a long time. I killed someone, once..." So begins BBC journalist Ray Gosling's televised confession in which he briefly describes the time he smothered his lover who was dying of AIDS. Police are now investigating.
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates on Feb 16, 2010 - 106 comments

Sir Terry Pratchett, the popular comical fantasy author who in 2007 revealed that he had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's, will present today his ideas about having a tribunal set up to help those with incurable diseases end their lives with help from doctors.
posted by Jeremy Banks on Feb 1, 2010 - 39 comments

On January 1st, the U.S. estate tax will disappear. For exactly one year. Then it will come back higher on Jan. 1, 2011. Will lots of old rich people die? [more inside]
posted by msalt on Dec 17, 2009 - 129 comments

Terry Pratchett: I'll die before the endgame
posted by Artw on Aug 3, 2009 - 74 comments

Doctor assisted suicide for the terminally ill, or those in chronic pain, is an issue that some find themselves opposed to. Dan Savage, of Savage Love fame, writes about the death of his mother and the implications of religious opposition to such measures.
posted by sotonohito on Oct 10, 2008 - 99 comments

Death's Midwife: Jon Ronson meets the Reverend George Exoo, controversial right-to-die activist. [more inside]
posted by tiny crocodile on May 12, 2008 - 11 comments

Why I helped my wife kill herself. When Michael Graham's wife Elizabeth was diagnosed with motor neurone disease, she made up her mind to die before she became completely immobile. Michael knew he would have to help her - even though it could land him in jail. (note: unless you're unlucky, this is quite likely the saddest story you'll read today)
posted by jonson on Aug 11, 2006 - 32 comments

21 assisted suicides in 2001. Physician assisted suicide, officially known as Oregon's Death with Dignity Act, has been used by 91 people since 1998. The Oregon Public Health Service has released its Annual Report, and the demographics are very interesting. The fear-mongering critics have been proved wrong in that it's not poor, uninsured, uneducated or minorities asking for this, yet the Bush administration and John Ashcroft are trying to nullify the law. Is physician assisted suicide wrong, and if so, why? Is it the business of the Federal government to interfere in a State issue such as this, and is this just another wedge of their pro-life agenda?
posted by Mack Twain on Feb 9, 2002 - 15 comments

Assisted Suicide law in Oregon stuck down by feds. Voters have approved assisted suicide twice. But apparently John Ashcroft knows better than we do. . .
posted by Danf on Nov 8, 2001 - 17 comments