Sky Television video footage of 10th December shows the assisted suicide of a 59 year old Motor Neurone disease sufferer Craig Ewert.  Assisted suicide is illegal in the Uk, so Craig Ewart and his family flew to a clinic in Switzerland, Dignitas, to have this performed.

Sky Real Lives viewers watched as Craig Ewert, 59, died from an assisted suicide in the Swiss clinic with his wife, Mary, standing by.   Ewert had degenerative motor neuron disease, and felt he wanted to ease the burden on his family.

Gordon Brown said of the assisted death: “I believe that it is necessary to ensure that there is never a case in this country where a sick or elderly person feels under pressure to agree to an assisted death or somehow feels it is the expected thing to do. That is why I have always opposed legislation for assisted deaths. I think it is very important that these issues are dealt with sensitively and without sensationalism and I hope broadcasters remember that they have a wider responsibility to the general public.”

But unfortunately, there are many cases of people wanting to die.  These patients were not pressurised to do so, or that it was the expected thing to do. Craig Ewert and Daniel James both wanted to die, and chose euthanasia, mostly to avoid further suffering for themselves and their families.

Videodippers:  It is sad that Craig Ewert felt he needed to do this.  He wanted to make a choice.  But sometimes, difficult circumstances and our endurance of them strengthens the spirit, and helps those around us by presenting them with an opportunity to demonstrate love and acts of kindness.