Warning: This article contains discussions of assisted suicide that some readers may find upsetting
A mum who ended her terminally ill son's life 40 years ago recalled his final moments just days before she died.
Antonya Cooper, 77, from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, passed away after admitting that she had administered her son with a lethal dose of morphine.
On Monday (8 July), the BBC reported that Antonya - who had been suffering from incurable cancer - had passed away.
The family provided a statement, which read: “She was peaceful, pain-free, at home and surrounded by her loving family. It was exactly the way she wanted it. She lived life on her terms and she died on her terms.”
Opening up about the loss of her son
Just last week, Antonya had told BBC Radio Oxford that she had ended her son's life when he was aged seven, by giving him a lethal dose of morphine.
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Hamish had been suffering from a rare childhood cancer - stage 4 neuroblastoma - and died at home in 1981.
Neuroblastoma is a rare cancer that develops in nerve tissue.
Antonya - who was a former chairwoman of Neuroblastoma UK - shared that her suffering son was in 'a lot of pain' by the end of his life.
She made the admission to BBC Radio Oxford: “I gave him a large dose of morphine that did quietly end his life.”
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'The time was right'
Prior to her passing, Antonya revealed her son's final moments to PA Real Life in May.
She said: “In the middle of the night, we were by his bedside. He was expressing that he had pain and I said 'Would you like me to take the pain away?'
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“He said 'Yes please, Mama', and so I gave him a dose of morphine sulphate through his Hickman catheter.
“We had watched him brave through all that beastly treatment, we had had him for longer than the original prognosis, so the time was right.”
Assisted dying in the UK
Ultimately, euthanasia is illegal in England.
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If charged, the person who took the other life could be prosecuted for murder or manslaughter.
Antonya described her choice to join the Swiss assisted dying clinic Dignitas, and further called on the UK government to legalise assisted dying.
She wanted this to be fulfilled in order to allow death that is not 'so intolerably inhumane'.
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The BBC asked Antonya if she knew that she had just potentially admitted to the manslaughter or murder of her son.
She simply responded: "Yes."
She later added: “If they come 43 years after I have allowed Hamish to die peacefully, then I would have to face the consequences. But they would have to be quick, because I’m dying too.”
BBC further reported that Antonya's family received a visit from Thames Valley Police officers after the details regarding Hamish's death became public.
The police previously stated that they were 'aware of reports relating to an apparent case of assisted dying of a seven-year-old boy in 1981'.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.
Kya Buller